NCAA Mulls Five-Year Eligibility With Age Threshold, Scrapping Redshirts
The NCAA is weighing a sweeping eligibility overhaul that would grant five years of varsity eligibility once players turn 19 or graduate high school, with no redshirts or waivers and only narrow exceptions (maternity, military service, religious missions). The change could start as soon as Fall 2026 and would be phased to protect current athletes; questions remain about whether players in their final season would receive an additional year under the new policy.