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NCAA Division I Council Approves One-Time Transfer Exception

Athletes who play football, basketball and other sports can now transfer once without having to sit out.

The NCAA Division I Council officially announced on Thursday that it has approved the expansion of the one-time transfer exception to all sports, meaning that student-athletes who play baseball, football, men’s and women’s basketball and men’s ice hockey can now transfer once without having to sit out a year.

Student-athletes in those sports were previously required to apply for a waiver to receive immediate eligibility or sit out one year.

“Allowing student-athletes a one-time opportunity to transfer and compete immediately provides a uniform, equitable and understandable approach that benefits all student-athletes,” council vice chairman and MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a statement. “The decision is consistent with Division I’s goal of modernizing its rules to prioritize student-athlete opportunity and choice.”

The legislation, which still must be ratified by the Division I Board of Directors on April 28, will go into effect immediately for those who have not transferred before and want to compete at a new school as early as this fall. Those transferring for a second time will still have to apply for a waiver in order to receive immediate eligibility.

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day recently expressed his support for the one-time transfer exception.

“There’s two ways to look at it, and I’ve been very supportive of guys who have left our program,” Day said on April 5. “I have supported them in their waivers, and I think all of the guys who have left the program in the last two years have gotten waivers to play immediately because I’ve supported them in that area. They’ve all left in good standing. I think if they have the opportunity to go play somewhere else, they should.

“I think we have to be careful about letting them do that multiple times, though. It’s tricky. It is a slippery slope, but I’ve decided to support these guys on where they want to play.”

The council also adopted deadlines by which student athletes must announce their intention to transfer and retain immediate eligibility. The deadline will be May 1 for fall and winter sport athletes and July 1 for spring sport athletes, though deadline is July 1 this year for all athletes since May 1 is just two weeks away.

Another exception to the deadline would be if a head coach was fired or moved on to a new job before July 1.

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