Fifth Season Eligibility Denied
Kentucky Appeals Court Rules 2022 Graduates Ineligible for Fifth Season
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Key Points
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The NCAA’s new policy gives athletes five years of eligibility, replacing the previous arrangement of four seasons of competition within a five-year period.
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Afari had briefly regained eligibility after a federal judge in Colorado issued a ruling covering 2022 high-school graduates who had not redshirted; the NCAA’s successful appeal there overturned that ruling before Afari joined the Kentucky case.
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Mark Mitchell had planned to transfer to Kentucky after being ruled eligible, but returned to Missouri after the SEC said it would enforce its rule against intra-conference transfers outside the normal transfer-portal window.
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Kentucky coach Will Stein said before the season that the team was awaiting further answers before feeling confident about playing Afari: “We're waiting for a few more things to be answered and if those get answered, then we'll proceed.”
The Kentucky Court of Appeals sided with the NCAA on Friday, dissolving a temporary injunction that had allowed class-of-2022 athletes to compete for a fifth season. The ruling makes Kentucky linebacker Alex Afari and at least 38 other athletes ineligible, ending a legal battle over the NCAA's new eligibility rules Kentucky.com. Afari had played in four games for the Wildcats this season, recording 11 tackles before the injunction dissolved.
The athletes had argued they deserved the NCAA's five-year eligibility rule, which replaced the previous four-seasons-in-five-years system. The appeals court ruled that granting them another year would disrupt the competitive status quo Yahoo Sports. The decision also affects Louisville and Missouri basketball players, leaving their eligibility claims uncertain.
How Five-Year Eligibility Changed the Game
The NCAA recently shifted to a straight five-year eligibility window for all athletes. Under the old rules, athletes got four seasons to compete within five calendar years. The new policy removes that second limit, giving athletes an extra year of play Kentucky.com. Class-of-2022 athletes argued they should benefit from this new rule since they had not yet exhausted their eligibility.
Afari's Brief Window of Eligibility Now Closed
Alex Afari won temporary eligibility after a federal judge in Colorado ruled that 2022 high-school graduates who had not redshirted deserved the five-year rule. The NCAA appealed that ruling and won, overturning the decision before Afari joined the Kentucky case SwimSwam. Afari played in four games for the Wildcats before Friday's appeals court ruling ended his eligibility.
Other Athletes Lose Eligibility Across Multiple Schools
The ruling affects at least 38 athletes from multiple programs. Louisville football players Jabari Mack and Kalib Perry, Louisville basketball guards Seth Trimble and L.J. Wells, and Missouri basketball player Mark Mitchell all lost eligibility Yahoo Sports. Mitchell had briefly considered transferring to Kentucky after a court ruled him eligible, but the SEC blocked the intra-conference move and he returned to Missouri.
Uncertainty Remains for Kentucky's Fall Plans
Kentucky coach Will Stein expressed caution about Afari's status before the season began. "We're waiting for a few more things to be answered and if those get answered, then we'll proceed," Stein said Kentucky.com. The athletes may pursue further legal challenges, but Friday's appeals court decision represents a major victory for the NCAA in defending its eligibility restrictions.
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