How the NCAA’s New Eligibility Rule Proposal Could Impact College Softball

The news comes just days after President Donald Trump's executive order highlighted a five-year participation window for student-athletes to help bring more structure and stability to college sports.

Currently, student-athletes have four years of eligibility over a five-year calendar with the option to regain another year of play through a redshirt or waiver request.

The new proposal means student-athletes won't be able to regain a year through a redshirt or waiver. It also means fewer court cases, where student-athletes are suing the NCAA for extra eligibility.

How Would This Affect Softball?

The proposal is very black-and-white. Softball players could play up to five years in that window. As of now, they only have five years to play four seasons.

If the proposal passes, softball could see more players sticking around for an extra season. As of now, softball players can transfer without consequence. The executive order prevents that by limiting it to a one-time transfer before graduation and then they could transfer again after receiving their undergrad degree.

Think of it this way: former UCLA standout Aaliyah Jordan spent seven years on the Bruins' roster. She took a medical redshirt in 2017, her freshman year, for a knee injury and then earned another year of eligibility because of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. During what could have been her final season in 2022, she suffered an ACL tear after just eight starts, which earned her another medical redshirt and extra year of eligibility.

Jordan was 24 years old during her final season of college softball.

The new rule would put an end to careers like Jordan's after year five. In her case, she would just sit out her first year and then have four years to play four seasons.

The NCAA is fighting dozens of cases each year over eligibility, softball's Bre Warren just filed one to play at Virginia Tech this season.

Having a five-in-five window might be the most feasible path forward, and it would save the NCAA millions of dollars in legal fees. It would do away with post-grad student-athletes and completely get rid of sixth and seventh years of eligibility.