the drop. · Oct 11, 2026

Ohio appeals court removes eligibility extension for roughly two dozen college basketball players

A unanimous three-judge panel on the Ohio First District Court of Appeals overturned a preliminary injunction that had allowed approximately 24 college basketball players to compete in a fifth season under the NCAA's new age-based eligibility framework. The athletes, all members of the high school class of 2022 who had already used their four seasons of competition, argued they should be grandfathered into the updated rules, but the appellate court disagreed. Writing for the panel, Judge Candace C. Crouse noted that the plaintiffs entered college athletics knowing they were entitled to four seasons within a five-year window — and that is what they received. The court also flagged the broader problem of inconsistent rulings across multiple state courts, suggesting uniform enforcement by the NCAA itself is preferable to scattered litigation.

This leads to inconsistent legal rulings. It is arguably preferable to have a voluntary association interpret and apply its own rules for the sake of uniform enforcement and predictability.

From Front Office Sports

Why it matters

For service providers: The overlapping state and federal litigation, along with the pending Protect College Sports Act, creates a rapidly shifting legal landscape that advisers must track closely.

For coaches: Programs that rostered these players under the injunction must now remove them, affecting roster construction and planning mid-season.

For athletes: College basketball players from the class of 2022 who hoped to use a fifth season under the new eligibility model are now barred from doing so in Ohio, though some may still have options through separate lawsuits in other jurisdictions.

For collectives: Collectives that signed or compensated these athletes expecting a fifth year of competition may face contract complications.

Read the full story at Front Office Sports

Sources

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