Starting next season, major college football and basketball players will be allowed to transfer only once before graduation, without being required to participate in a year of competition.
The NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday voted to change the long-term rule that has often discouraged players in profile sports from changing schools, two people familiar with the council’s decision told the Associated Press.
People spoke on condition of anonymity, as the two-day meeting was still in session and the council’s decisions will not become official until Thursday’s conclusion. Athletic first reported the council vote.
The so-called one-time exception has been available to athletes in other NCAA sports for years, allowing them to transfer and play immediately. Athletes in football, men’s and women’s basketball, ice hockey and men’s baseball did not have this at their disposal without requesting a special waiver from the NCAA and claiming that a difficulty caused the need for a transfer.
Athletes who graduated were also allowed to transfer without sitting, regardless of the sport, but not students.
Starting this fall semester, all athletes will work according to the same rules: Transfers will be able to play immediately.
Those who practice autumn and winter sports must notify the schools by May 1 that they intend to transfer; In spring sports, the notification date will be July 1. Notification dates start in 2022.
For this year, athletes from all sports will have to notify their schools of their intention to transfer by July 1.
The council also voted for the current recruitment period in all sports to expire. June 1st. The ban on in-person recruitment has been in place for more than a year due to the pandemic. Coaches will again be allowed to visit recruits off campus, hold camps on campus and receive potential student-athletes on official recruitment visits.