The NCAA is laying down the law, after the DI Cabinet unanimously voted to approve a limited-term, age-based eligibility model on Tuesday.
Student-athletes will have five years of eligibility over five seasons. The term starts upon full-time enrollment or the academic year following their 19th birthday — whichever comes sooner.
The DI Student-Athlete Advocacy Committee leadership team released a statement following the decision.
"We consistently heard that student-athletes want an eligibility model that is simple to understand, transparent to administer, and applied fairly across all sports and schools," they wrote.
"This rule change, which clearly establishes an individual's period of eligibility, provides student-athletes with greater certainty as they plan for college and make important decisions."
The new rules will eliminate red-shirt exemptions and individual eligibility waivers. The idea is to help simplify the college recruiting process.
The new model won’t apply to athletes who completed their fourth year of eligibility this spring. The NCAA is also allowing flexibility concerning other students already competing at the college level.
