Colorado Judge Clarifies Scope of Injunction Granting Fifth-Year Eligibility to 2022 NCAA Athletes

U.S. District Court Judge Charlotte Sweeney issued a clarification on Aug. 2 to the preliminary injunction she granted on July 31, which allows athletes from the class of 2022 a fifth year of NCAA eligibility. The clarification specifies that the court order does not affect current transfer regulations, roster size limits, or the revenue-sharing caps established in the 2025 settlement with the NCAA.

"The Court's order does not enjoin the operation of transfer rules," Sweeney wrote. "As the plain language of the preliminary injunction order and this order make clear, the Court's injunction concerns only the implementation of the Rule (as defined in the preliminary injunction order) and any Bylaw that prohibits Plaintiffs and Class Members from competing in a fifth season of collegiate athletics."

The ruling means a player who qualifies for the fifth year cannot join a football team if the roster is already full, nor can a program exceed its revenue-sharing limit to pay a fifth-year athlete. The injunction does not supersede the House v. NCAA settlement that introduced those financial and roster constraints.

The clarification is expected to influence college basketball programs, some of which have begun reserving roster spots and budgeting for potential fifth-year players. Former Clemson forward RJ Godfrey, for example, signed with Arizona following the court order.

The NCAA has indicated it will appeal the injunction, arguing that the decision lacks authority to undermine the earlier settlement. The organization recently adopted a "five-for-five" eligibility model, slated to begin in fall 2027, which would eliminate redshirting and require athletes to play five seasons within five years.

Legislative efforts such as the Protect College Sports Act, supported by the Big Ten and SEC, are also advancing in Congress, though it remains uncertain how any new law would interact with the court's injunction.