A federal judge in Colorado granted a class-wide preliminary injunction on Friday requiring the NCAA to restore eligibility to all Division I athletes from the high school class of 2022 who finished up their four years this past spring.
The decision by Judge Charlotte Sweeney of the U.S. District Court of Colorado was reported by Boise State ***** ociate professor Sam Ehrlich. The injunction grants a class certification and a temporary restraining order to plaintiffs who qualify as stated:
"All persons in the United States who began to play in collegiate sports in the 2022-2023 season, competed in NCAA Division I sports, and completed four years of eligibility as defined by the NCAA's prior rules by the conclusion of the 2025-2026 season, and are therefore barred from playing a fifth season due to the NCAA's adoption and immediate implementation of the Five-Year Eligibility Rule."
Judge Sweeney's ruling is in response to a class-action lawsuit filed by 11 Division I athletes, including Minnesota men's college basketball player Cade Tyson, that challenged the NCAA approving an age-based, five-year eligibility model that allowed four seasons of eligibility over five years with no age restrictions. The model would eliminate redshirts and waivers.
In a statement released after Judge Sweeney's ruling was reported, NCAA president Charlie Baker disagreed with the ruling, saying Congress passing the Protect College Sports Act was necessary and suddenly restoring eligibility to an entire class would result in "chaos."

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