New NCAA age-based eligibility rule to go in effect starting with 2026-27 academic year

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – In the college athletics world, this summer saw a new eligibility model approved that will be a notable change for some current and all incoming student-athletes.

News 40 Sports recently sat down with Chandler Derieux, who’s head of compliance and academic affairs at Western Kentucky University, to learn more on the topic.

“ I think it’s great personally. My own personal opinion, I think that this is something that should’ve been done,” Derieux said. “I think it’s very beneficial for the student-athletes, beneficial for the coaches. I think it’s easy for them to track now, and it’s easier for us to have those conversations because they understand it as well.”

On June 23, the NCAA approved the age-based eligibility rule, tying the active period for student-athletes to their age and college enrollment.

This is a shift from a longstanding model that used medical hardships and eligibility waivers to grant additional years in certain cases.

But those are now gone and many student-athletes now have the option to play a full five seasons, if they qualify and wish to do so.

The only exceptions under the new model revolve around military service, religious missions and similar service commitments, and also pregnancy.

“We’re usually, around this time, asking athletic trainers, coaches, ‘Who do we think qualifies?’ and [we’re] going down that rabbit hole, but now that this rule has passed, we don’t have to do that any longer,” Derieux said.