Yesterday, the NCAA announced, in theory, a complete overhaul of college eligibility (You can find the official statement from the NCAA here).
Let’s Start with Two Major Caveats
Basically, if you join the military or go on a Mormon Mission (or another mission, I suppose; this rule is specifically geared towards Mormons) at 18 and decide you want to try college athletics afterward, you can enroll like you’re still 19 and have 5 seasons, assuming you didn’t play for any professional team during that time period. This is a direct response to the influx of older Euro players who flooded college basketball in 2026.
If a female athlete becomes pregnant, they don’t lose eligibility while they are out of action. That’s the only specific medical exception listed, but the wording in the release says, “which includes.” To me, that indicates there are other, unlisted exceptions.
What it Means Moving Forward
How Does this Affect K-State Football and Basketball?
This was in direct response to the JUCO-eligibility lawsuits in football and the influx of older Euro players into college basketball. It makes sense to me and makes the odious and capricious “waiver” system a thing of the past.
That said, as soon as these rules are adopted, the schools that helped craft them will immediately try to game them to their advantage and carve out exceptions that could benefit their program. Consider me intrigued, but extremely cynical.