NCAA approves new transfer database
After months of debate, the NCAA’s Division I Council approved new transfer rules, allowing an athlete to notify a school of a desire to leave and that athlete’s name will be added to a national transfer database so other coaches can initiate contact after a brief waiting period.
The new rules go into effect on Oct. 15 and eliminate the previous model, which required athletes to get permission from their current schools to contact another school before they could receive scholarships from their new teams. It included the sometimes controversial practice of coaches and school officials blocking athletes from talking with other programs.
“The membership showed today that it supports this significant change in transfer rules,” said Justin Sell, chair of the Division I Transfer Working Group and athletics director at South Dakota State. “I’m proud of the effort the Transfer Working Group put forth to make this happen for studentathletes, coaches and schools.”
The rule change also upgrades tampering with an athlete by another school as a potential level-two violation, considered a significant breach of NCAA conduct.
The Transfer Working Group has been trying to craft ideal transfer rule changes for more than a year setting a deadline of mid-June ahead of a vote by the Division I Council. Members of the group met with coaches and administrators during the spring to gather feedback.
N.C. State coach Dave Doeren was happy to see the group taking its time when it came to examining possible changes.
“You could tell months ago when it came out, they were trying to force a big change,” Doeren said during the ACC’s spring meetings in April. “And now they’ve looked at all the possible negative things that could happen and put the brakes on it and said, ‘Let’s make sure we do it right rather than rush it and have to change it later,’ which I appreciate.
“This could have if done the wrong way, hurt a very good thing, so I’m glad that they’re listening.”
Coaches were most concerned about proposals that would make transfers immediately eligible.
The committee will continue to work on other transfer proposals, including one focused on graduate transfers. In its release, the NCAA says the group is “still is exploring the possibility of uniform transfer rules.”
The NCAA Division I Council approved a proposal that allows a football player to play up to four games in a season without losing eligibility.
The new rule would allow a player to preserve a year of eligibility if, for instance, he suffered an injury early in the season or if an injury leaves a team depleted and a player is needed for a few games.
“This change promotes not only fairness for college athletes, but also their health and well-being,” said Council chair Blake James, Miami’s athletics director. “Redshirt football studentathletes are more likely to remain engaged with the team, and starters will be less likely to feel pressure to play through injuries. Coaches will appreciate the additional flexibility and ability to give younger players an opportunity to participate in a limited competition.”
The proposal was originally tabled in April over concerns about timing and its impact on other sports.
Coaches have long used the practice of redshirting a player in order to save a year of eligibility. A player who redshirts could practice with the team and receives financial aid but lost that year of eligibility if he participated in a game.