How Eligibility Rules Impact Iowa State’s Dominykas Pleta

The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team has to adjust how they recruit with some of the rules that have been approved for collegiate sports.

With a new “five-for-five” eligibility model being introduced, along with changes to how international players can participate in college basketball, changes have to be made in how teams go about filling out their rosters.

Once a player begins his collegiate career, the clock begins. The new model will effectively eliminate redshirts and hardship waivers. There is also an age limit, as the clock will start the academic year following their 19th birthday.

With all of these changes, it was fair to wonder how it would impact someone such as Dominykas Pleta. An international player, he was a freshman during the 2025-26 campaign and will be back in Ames for his sophomore year.

Dominykas Pleta has multiple years of eligiblity remaining

Iowa State Cyclones forward Dominykas Pleta (21) celebrates after a dunk. — Iowa State Cyclones forward Dominykas Pleta (21) celebrates after a dunk around Houston Cougars forward Joseph Tugler (11) during the second half in the Big-12 men’s basketball at Hilton Coliseum on Feb. 16, 2026, in Ames, Iowa | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Head coach T.J. Otzelberger spoke about his situation and revealed that as long as Pleta stays healthy, he will have three seasons left to play with the Cyclones, which falls under the previous model.

“Yeah, like with the age-based model, versus the old eligibility model, really if Pleta is healthy, he has three more years to play for us. If he were to have one year out, then he would still have the ability to have one redshirt plus three years to play. Hopefully he stays healthy for all three and continues to develop because he’s done a great job,” Otzelberger said, via Bill Seals of Cyclone Report (subscription required).

Pleta saw his role grow as he moved along in his freshman year. The coaching staff gained more confidence in him to succeed in the role that was asked, and he certainly lived up to expectations.

While his numbers don’t jump off the page, averaging 4.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per game, he looks like someone who is ready for an expanded role in Year 2 of Otzelberger’s system.

If he shows improvement and willingness to expand his range and shoot the ball, he could play alongside Blake Buchanan in double-big lineups.

With the addition of Tre Manning in the transfer portal from the Kansas State Wildcats and Dorian Rinaldo-Komlan in the Class of 2026, there is a lot more depth in the middle to allow Otzelberger to mix and match lineup combinations.

Pleta is someone who should receive plenty more minutes this upcoming season, even if he remains as the interior anchor for the second unit, playing behind Buchanan at the center spot.

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