The NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday voted to grant a general exemption that would allow all Division I transfers to be played immediately this year.
The resignation covers all Division I sports and the most immediate impact will be felt in men’s college basketball, in which several notable players will be able to adapt immediately, as early as Wednesday night.
“We are thrilled to pass the general waiver as we believe it is in line with D1 SAAC, ensuring that all of our student-athletes have the best opportunity to thrive both academically and athletically,” said Caroline Lee, Vice Chair of the Advisory Committee of students and Division I athletes. “At a time of great uncertainty amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe it is in our best interest to grant immediate eligibility to those who have been transferred in order to better support their mental health and well-being “.
The NCAA was more lenient this cycle when it came to granting waivers of traditional men’s basketball transfers, but several waiver requests were denied or were still at a limit.
Some of the best players now eligible include DeAndre Williams of Memphis, Bo Hodges of Butler, Ben Stanley of Xavier, Trey Wertz of Notre Dame and Alex O’Connell of Creighton. Miami and Pittsburgh face off Wednesday night and both teams will get a boost thanks to this news, as Hurricanes Elijah Olaniyi and Nike Sibande of the Panthers are already allowed to debut.
NCAA spokeswoman Meghan Durham noted on Twitter that the Division I Council will consider permanent changes to transfer rules at the January meeting. The Board is expected to vote on a single transfer exemption that will allow all student-athletes to transfer once without being out of play for a year before playing.