Judge grants preliminary injunction extending eligibility for 2022 college athletes
A federal judge in Colorado issued a preliminary injunction that restores a fifth year of eligibility for athletes who graduated high school in 2022, prompting the NCAA to consider an appeal and urging congressional action.
A U.S. District Court judge in Colorado issued a preliminary injunction on Friday that restores a fifth year of eligibility for college athletes who were members of the high-school class of 2022. The ruling follows challenges to the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility rule, which had ended the eligibility clock for those athletes earlier this spring.
The decision was announced the same day a similar injunction was granted by a Tennessee state court. NCAA President Charlie Baker responded by urging Congress to pass the Protect College Sports Act, saying the sport needs “targeted intervention from Congress” to establish uniform rules.
“Without targeted intervention from Congress, college sports cannot set nationwide rules everyone can play by and without Congress, failed professionals will continue to use college sports as a fallback option — robbing the next class of young athletes of college scholarships,” Baker said.
Legal analysts expect the NCAA to appeal the Colorado ruling quickly. Sam Ehrlich, a former lawyer and professor at Boise State who monitors NCAA litigation, said he anticipates an “incredibly quick” appeal.
The NCAA’s revised rule, which took effect on Aug. 1, guarantees athletes a five-year, age-based window to compete but eliminated most waiver exceptions, leaving the 2022 class without the additional year. Lawsuits in Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Colorado have challenged the rule on contract-law grounds, with courts granting temporary relief for groups of players, including former Minnesota forward Cade Tyson.
The injunction could affect roster planning for college basketball programs, many of which have already filled spots and allocated name, image and likeness funds based on the expectation that the 2022 class would be ineligible. Some schools kept a few roster spots open in case the legal challenge succeeded, while others may need to adjust if the ruling is upheld.
Programs such as Gonzaga, Texas Tech and LSU are mentioned as potential beneficiaries because they face recent roster gaps or uncertainties with international recruits. However, the ultimate impact will depend on whether the injunction stands through the upcoming season and how individual schools choose to allocate scholarships and resources.
The case highlights ongoing legal disputes over NCAA eligibility rules, with plaintiffs generally finding more success in state courts by framing the issue as a contract matter rather than a federal antitrust claim.