Ohio Supreme Court reinstates fifth-year eligibility for 2022 college basketball cohort
The Ohio Supreme Court reversed an appeals court ruling and upheld a preliminary injunction requiring the NCAA to grant a fifth year of eligibility to college basketball players who began school in 2022 under the Borovicanin v. NCAA case. The decision came shortly after Ohio Governor Mike DeWine issued an executive order directing schools to allow those players to compete, provided they fell within the NCAA's age limit and had not participated in professional activities. The court cited DeWine's executive order as part of its rationale for keeping the injunction in place. The NCAA condemned the ruling, with chief legal officer Scott Bearby stating the organization would continue challenging both the executive order in federal court and defending its age-based eligibility policy, calling the litigation disruptive and piecemeal.
This only adds to the uncertainty and disruption created by piecemeal litigation against rules that apply across the country and that member institutions agreed to follow,
Why it matters
For service providers: The ongoing conflict between state executive authority and NCAA governance signals continued legal and regulatory instability around eligibility rules nationally.
For coaches: Programs recruiting or rostering affected players have short-term clarity heading into the November basketball season, though the underlying legal battle remains unresolved.
For athletes: College basketball players who enrolled in 2022 and exhausted four years of eligibility may now compete for a fifth year this season, at least while litigation continues.
For collectives: NIL agreements tied to affected players' eligibility status gain a temporary reprieve as those athletes are cleared to participate.
Read the full story at Front Office Sports
Sources
- Front Office Sports · Amanda Christovich: Ohio Supreme Court Allows Players Fifth Year of Eligibility After Governor Intervenes