NCAA votes to overhaul eligibility model

The NCAA unanimously voted to adopt a new age-based eligibility model that allows athletes to complete five seasons of collegiate athletics starting from their high school graduation or their 19th birthday, whichever comes sooner. The rule applies to all student-athletes with remaining eligibility after the 2025-26 season and becomes mandatory for those enrolling in college from fall 2027 onward. For Ivy League schools like Penn, this grants an additional year of eligibility post-graduation and expanded transfer options, though the Ivy League will remain the only Division I conference where fifth-year transfers cannot displace undergraduate athletes.