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yesterday

Federal Judge Restores Fifth Year of Eligibility for Class of 2022 Athletes

The Colorado order returns a fifth season to 2022 recruits, creates a court‑ordered Aug. 3–10 transfer window, and sets up immediate appeals and roster uncertainty for schools

May 15, 2026; Gainesville, FL, USA; The NCAA logo is painted on the field before the game between the Florida Gators and Florida A&M Rattlers at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images
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Overview

  • Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a class-wide preliminary injunction Friday requiring the NCAA to allow Division I athletes who began college in 2022 and exhausted four seasons by 2025–26 to play a fifth season.
  • The order certifies the nationwide class by entry year and exhaustion of four seasons and directs a short transfer-portal window from Aug. 3 through Aug. 10 for newly eligible players.
  • The NCAA criticized the ruling, said it will appeal and pressed Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act to shield its eligibility rules from further legal challenges.
  • Immediate practical questions remain about roster limits, scholarship slots, the fate of players who signed pro contracts or played in pro leagues, and how the NCAA’s restitution rules will be applied.
  • The decision follows the NCAA’s June shift to a five-for-five age-based model and a wave of state and federal lawsuits, and it could reshape transfer, NIL and roster planning if the injunction survives appeal.