NCAA Overhauls Eligibility With New Five-Year Age-Based Model

The NCAA made a landmark change to its eligibility rules this week by unanimously approving to scrap redshirts and relevant waivers in favor of a streamlined five-year age-based model.

The change looks to respond to years of litigation and extensive waiver usage that has seen athletes extend their careers into their mid-20s while still in college.

Now, athletes will be faced with a five-year running clock that begins either at enrollment or at age 19, whichever comes first. That will undoubtedly affect players with earlier birthdays who may turn 19 still in high school and could affect enrollment decisions with sweeping effects.

There are a few exceptions including pregnancy, official religious missions, and active-duty military service, as long as the student athlete isn’t doing any sort of organized competition.

Moreover, it applies to current athletes, as those who completed their fourth year after spring of 2026 will not receive additional years of eligibility unless they redshirted. The first class that will fully be under this new model is the 2026-27 class.

To read more about the sweeping changes and how it will affect individual programs, here is a great case study from UConn Roundtable writer Jami Leabow.

It is a push back by the Division I Board of Directors who have seen players use waivers to pause the window and try to finagle their way into years and years of extra seasons.

It will have a major effect on how recruiting is done, how the transfer portal movement is conducted, and on developing and playing players with a more immediate emphasis.