The 5-in-5 Rule Is Here. What It Actually Means.
- Kevin Tarca
- 11 hours ago
- 5 min read
June 25, 2026
The NCAA has officially rewritten how eligibility works in Division I.
After years of redshirts, medical waivers, COVID years, six and seven year athletes, older professional players returning to college, and what felt like a never ending stream of lawsuits, the Division I Council approved a new age-based eligibility model on June 23, 2026. People are calling it the "5-in-5" rule.
Overall, the new system is much simpler than what came before. Personally, I still think the NCAA will face legal challenges because it ultimately places a cap on an athlete's ability to earn income through collegiate athletics, raising potential antitrust questions. But that's a discussion for another day.
For now, here's what the new rule actually says; what is changing, exceptions that are going away, and one important action current student-athletes may need to take before July 31.
The Old System vs. the New One
For decades, the NCAA operated under a simple framework: athletes received four seasons of competition within a five-year eligibility clock. Once you enrolled full-time in college, your clock started, and you had five calendar years to compete in four seasons. Redshirts, medical hardship waivers, and other eligibility waivers were all tools used to manage that clock and recover lost time.
The new model flips that system on its head.
Athletes now receive five seasons of competition within a five-year eligibility window.
No traditional redshirt year. No "four seasons in five years" math. Just a straightforward five-year window with up to five seasons of competition.
The other major change is when the clock begins.
When Your Clock Begins
Under the new 5-in-5 model, your eligibility clock starts on whichever of these happens first:
The first time you enroll full-time in college, or
The beginning of the academic year following your 19th birthday.
Under the old system, delaying college enrollment generally delayed your eligibility clock. Under the new model, that's no longer the case. Once you turn 19, your eligibility clock will begin at the start of the following academic year, even if you haven't enrolled in college yet.
That means a prep year (after you turn 19), junior college, playing professionally, taking a gap year, or simply waiting to enroll will no longer preserve your eligibility the way it once could.
Once that age trigger is reached, the five-year window begins to run.
What Is Going Away?
The NCAA's goal is to eliminate almost the entire waiver system that has developed over the past several years.
Going Away | Still Allowed |
❌ Traditional redshirts | ✅ Religious missions |
❌ Medical hardship redshirts | ✅ Pregnancy & maternity leave |
❌ Most season restoration waivers | ✅ Active military service |
❌ Most delayed enrollment waivers | |
❌ Most hardship and unique circumstance waivers |
Injury is no longer a path to getting another year. To me, that's the toughest part of this entire rule. And honestly, I'm curious to see how it plays out. Injuries happen every year in college sports. Some athletes simply get unlucky. Under this model, if you lose a season to injury, you may simply lose it. That's a hard reality when we're talking about an athlete's development, career, and earning potential.
Current Athletes: Pay Attention to July 31
If you're a current Division I student-athlete with eligibility remaining after the 2025-26 season, here's the good news:
You do not have to choose between the old rules and the new 5-in-5 model. Your school will automatically apply whichever system gives you the most eligibility.
However, there is one very important exception.
If you have used, or may need to use, an old-rule waiver, such as a medical hardship waiver, sixth-year extension, season restoration, or another eligibility waiver that would give you more eligibility under the old system... your school must submit that waiver by July 31, 2026.
Your Action Items:
✅ Meet with your compliance office.
✅ Confirm exactly how much eligibility you have remaining.
✅ Ask whether you qualify for any waiver under the old rules.
✅ If the answer is yes, make sure your school submits it before July 31, 2026.
Missing that deadline could cost you an entire season of eligibility.
Who Actually Benefits?
The transition really comes down to one question: Did you lose time, or didn't you?
Lost seasons because of injury or another waiver? The old system will likely be more favorable.
Healthy and on schedule? The new 5-in-5 model likely gives you an extra season.
Example A: Athlete Loses Two Seasons to Injury
Academic Year | Old Rules | New 5-in-5 |
2022-23 | Season 1 | Season 1 |
2023-24 | Injury - Medical Hardship (Season Recovered) | Injury (Clock Keeps Running) |
2024-25 | Season 2 | Season 2 |
2025-26 | Injury - Medical Hardship (Season Recovered) | Injury (Clock Keeps Running) |
2026-27 | Season 3 | Season 3 (Final Eligible Season) |
2027-28 | Eligible through a Sixth-Year/Medical Waiver (Season 4) | No Eligibility Remaining |
Winner: Old Rules
Under the previous system, injuries could be recovered through medical hardship and sixth-year waivers. Under 5-in-5, the clock never stops. Those injury years still count against the five-year window, even if you barely played.
Example B: Athlete Never Loses a Season
Academic Year | Old Rules | New 5-in-5 |
2023-24 | Season 1 | Season 1 |
2024-25 | Season 2 | Season 2 |
2025-26 | Season 3 | Season 3 |
2026-27 | Season 4 (Eligibility Ends) | Season 4 |
2027-28 | No Eligibility | Season 5 |
Winner: New Rules
A healthy athlete who stays on schedule receives an additional season of competition that simply wasn't available under the old rules.
When Does Your NCAA Clock Start?
Closing Thoughts
Whether you like the rule or not, one thing is clear: eligibility strategy has changed.
For years, athletes and schools managed eligibility through redshirts, medical waivers, and other NCAA exceptions. That era is largely over. Going forward, time becomes one of an athlete's most valuable assets. Once your clock starts, it rarely stops.
For families of younger athletes, eligibility planning now begins much earlier than it used to. Decisions about prep school, junior college, delayed enrollment, and even injuries carry different consequences under this model.
For current Division I athletes, don't assume your school has everything covered. Meet with your compliance office, understand exactly where you stand, and if you may benefit from an old-rule waiver, make sure it is submitted before July 31, 2026.
The NCAA's eligibility system just underwent its biggest change in decades. Understanding it today could save you an entire season tomorrow.
As always, this is my interpretation of the new rules after reading through the NCAA materials (see links below). If I missed something or interpreted a provision incorrectly, let me know. Just doing my best to translate the NCAA's usual lack of context into plain English.
Kevin Tarca
Director of Basketball Strategy
If you're new here, I am the Director of Basketball Strategy here at FreeGame Management. We sit at the intersection of sports, culture, and commerce, creating opportunities for athletes at every stage.
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