CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — College athletes who were denied the opportunity to play immediately after transferring for a second time can return to competition — for now — after a federal judge issued a temporary 14-day restraining order Wednesday against the NCAA.
U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey in Northwest Virginia issued an injunction against the NCAA from enforcing the transfer rule. A lawsuit filed by West Virginia and six other states alleged that the rule waiver process violated federal antitrust law. The order paves the way for athletes to play during the two-week period and also ensures that schools are not penalized for allowing it.
The NCAA said in a statement that it would comply with the order and notify schools.
A hearing on the restraining order is scheduled for December 27.
NCAA rules allow underclassmen to transfer once without having to sit out a year. But transferring further as a college student generally requires the NCAA to grant a waiver allowing the athlete to compete immediately. Without it, the athlete would have to sit out a year at the new school.
Last January, the NCAA implemented stricter guidelines for granting those waivers on a case-by-case basis.
The states participating in the restraining order request are Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia.
It was not immediately clear whether any of the affected players would attempt to compete during the 14-day period.
West Virginia basketball player RaeQuan Battle transferred this season from Montana State after previously playing at Washington and sitting out.
“I’m in the gym every day with the team, with the blood, sweat and tears with them,” Battle told the court on Wednesday. “When the ball is thrown up and that tip-off starts, I’m not a good fit. That’s what hurts me the most.”
Battle, who grew up on the Tulalip Indian Reservation in Washington state, said his mental health was the main reason he came to West Virginia. Patel said he has lost “countless people” to drugs, alcohol and COVID-19.
After Battle visited West Virginia, he learned that current coach Josh Ehlert had been living on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota with his mother after his parents divorced and felt a connection with the coach.
West Virginia’s next game is Saturday in Springfield, Massachusetts, against UMass. Battle has the opportunity to play in at least three matches before the 14-day period expires.
“Welcome to the party,” West Virginia forward Quinn Slaczynski said he said on social media.
West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said he “looks forward to conclusively proving” that multi-transfer athletes should be able to play without a waiting period.
An alleged lawsuit requiring athletes to sit out could mean losing potential profits from endorsement deals in their name, image and likeness (NIL) or career. She cited exposure from competing on national broadcasts, noting: “One game can transform a college athlete from a local fan favorite into a household name.”
“It is ironic that this rule, which was designed to promote the well-being of college athletes, strips them of the ability and opportunity to improve their well-being as they see fit,” the lawsuit said.
A recent transfer waiver case involved North Carolina State wide receiver Devontez Walker. The NCAA initially denied him a waiver as a two-time transfer. He previously played at Kent State and also made a stop at North Carolina Central, though he never played there because the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out NCCU’s 2020 season. UNC fought for months to clear Walker in the difficult case before the NCAA changed its position in October.
The waiver process has become a source of frustration throughout college sports. Since the rules were changed to allow all athletes to transfer once before graduation and immediately qualify to compete, some question whether any exceptions should be made for athletes looking to transfer again as college students.
“I’ve worked on the NCAA men’s basketball side for a while on some committees, and you ask most coaches and they’ll say, ‘We don’t want any concessions,'” Conference USA Commissioner Jodi McLeod said last week during a panel discussion at the Games Forum. Las Vegas Intercollegiate Powers: ‘There shouldn’t be any waivers.’ “But once they get a kid they want to be eligible, they’re all for the waiver.”
AP College Football Writer Ralph D. contributed to this report. Rousseau.
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College athletes who transfer twice are now allowed to play, at least temporarily, after a judge’s decision to set aside the NCAA’s transfer rule. This ruling has sparked controversy and raised questions about the future of college sports and the transfer process for student-athletes. In the world of soccer, where player mobility is often common, this decision could have a significant impact on the recruitment and development of players within the college system. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how this ruling will shape the landscape of college soccer and the opportunities available to student-athletes.