How NCAA's new age-based eligibility model impacts Lady Vols basketball roster

The NCAA Division I Cabinet unanimously adopted a new age-based eligibility model in June, replacing traditional redshirts and waivers with a straightforward five-year eligibility window for all athletes across all sports. The five-year clock begins either upon full-time enrollment at a college or university, or at the start of the academic year following an athlete's 19th birthday, whichever comes first. Once started, the clock runs continuously regardless of whether the athlete competes, transfers, or sits out, a change that will significantly reshape roster management for programs like the Tennessee Lady Vols basketball team.