NCAA changes athlete eligibility-clock

The NCAA approved a new age-based eligibility model, defining and limiting collegiate student athletes to a consecutive five-year period of eligibility.

Previously, student athletes began their first full-time collegiate enrollment and had five years to use four seasons of competition. This model allowed extensions or waivers for extenuating circumstances such as redshirts and medical extensions. 

Beginning in the 2026-27 academic year all returning and incoming student athletes are required to participate in the new NCAA model. 

The new five-year period of eligibility begins when a student athlete is first enrolled full-time at a high education institution, or the start of the academic year following the athlete’s 19th birthday — whichever comes first. 

This means athletes are limited to a consecutive five-year period of eligibility, with the only exceptions being for active duty military service, pregnancy or religious missions.

Lehigh said to returning student athletes, before returning to campus, that they can choose the eligibility model that’s best for them. If a student athlete has an extension or medical waiver submitted before July 31, they’re still able to utilize the benefits of the old model. 

Men’s wrestler and sixth year Nathan Taylor has experienced and utilized the old model. 

Taylor began at Lehigh in 2021 by deferring his eligibility, using a “redshirt.” By taking a “redshirt,” Taylor said he was able to train and grow into his collegiate career without competing and using a year of eligibility. 

“Coming from a small school in Western (Pennsylvania)  where we didn’t really have that great of competition, I think I needed a lot of developing,” He said.  “My redshirt year is really important for that.”

Taylor then went on to use his first two years of eligibility. In the 2024-25 season — his third year of eligibility — he suffered a season-ending knee injury in his first match at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic. Because of the old model, Taylor was able to take medical leave, or “grey shirt.” 

Now, in his sixth year he’ll use his final year of eligibility while pursuing his masters in technical entrepreneurship. 

While Taylor was thankful for the old eligibility model because it fit his circumstances well, he said the newer model will give more clarity to student athletes. 

Dean of Athletics, Jeremy Gibson, said Lehigh’s main goal is to support student athletes’ aspirations and said the new eligibility model is simpler to understand.

As an institution that promotes the “scholar athlete,” Gibson said, the administration wants the five years of eligibility to be perceived as something  to take advantage of alongside the curriculum. 

Gibson said Lehigh’s roughly 700 student athletes pursue every pathway of academics Lehigh has to offer. Compared to other institutions, Gibson said Lehigh has an advantage by offering five-year degree and graduate programs. 

These programs may attract and help retain athletes that are interested in playing and studying for five years.

“Take the athletics eligibility piece out of it and programs like IBE and cross-curricular programs offered at Lehigh are outstanding,” Gibson said. “These 4+1 academic programs that transition immediately from an undergraduate degree to a master’s degree, and having faculty that is very supportive of athletics, to me, is an advantage.”  

One of those prospective students that look forward to his educational and athletic growth at Lehigh is first-year track and field athlete, Nico Peukert.

He said the change to the eligibility model is still a new concept to him. Peukert said he understands the reasoning for the switch to the simplified model, and overall seems like an improvement. 

“As an engineering (student) I am thinking of doing a 4+1, so athletics would be nice to continue with as I get my degree,” Peukert said.

He said having more time to compete and train at the collegiate level could help him achieve his goals: representing the Germany national team. 

One of the goals of the new model is to reduce the number of transfers and redshirt athletes in a given year. Among NCAA Division I football players alone, 10,500+ players entered the transfer portal in the last year. 

The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 was introduced to the U.S. Senate on May 27. The bill was received favorably by The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on June 18, 2026 and is scheduled for a potential voting date in mid-to-late September, 2026.

Both of these rules were signed by President Donald Trump under Executive Order 14400, Urgent National Action to Save College Sports. 

The act also targets the increase in transfer athletes in NCAA Division I.  It would limit student athletes eligibility to transfer only once over their five-year career.

The Patriot League has already been affected greatly by the transfer portal. Athletes come to smaller Patriot League schools to get their collegiate start, and then bigger schools come in and poach them. 

For example, football player Mason Humphrey, former Lehigh class of 2027 transferred to the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and Mekhai Smith, former class of 2028 transferred to University of Minnesota after the 2025 football season. 

Since the eligibility rule would allow for student athletes to stay at their school for five years, Gibson said Lehigh may have an advantage returning athletes in the Patriot League over schools without graduate programs.