Division I athletes from high school class of 2022 granted fifth year of NCAA eligibility by federal judge's injunction

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 associate 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, who 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."

"Without targeted intervention from Congress, college sports cannot set nationwide rules everyone can play by and without Congress," Baker wrote. "Failed professionals will continue to use college sports as a fallback option — robbing the next class of young athletes of college scholarships.

"It is long past time leaders across college sports call for the immediate passage of the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act — a bill supported by student-athlete leaders, Democrats, Republicans and NCAA schools from all three divisions," he continued. "Today's rulings and the chaos they bring to college sports are exactly why it's time to pass this bill."

The Big Ten and SEC approved a deal to support the Protect College Sports Act on Friday, Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger reported. Even if that bill passes through Congress, it won’t affect Friday’s court ruling as the bill doesn’t address pending lawsuits.

The ruling in Colorado came hours after a Tennessee court granted a temporary injunction to Vanderbilt guard Jalen Washington and 18 other college basketball players to provide a fifth year of eligibility. Additionally, the injunction ruled that the NCAA cannot prevent any of the athletes from entering the transfer portal.

As a result, thousands of student-athletes nationwide will now be allowed a fifth season of eligibility, including football and basketball players whose careers had previously concluded. College football programs are now questioning whether players who weren't selected in April's NFL Draft will attempt to return to college, according to On3's Pete Nakos.

However, with most programs set to begin preseason practices as rosters — and the budgets to build them — already established, it's possible that players looking to return to college football won't find available openings. The same could apply to college basketball.