(INDIANAPOLIS) - The NCAA Division I Council has delayed a vote on a proposed age-based eligibility model and revised a key piece of the plan following concerns from several sports groups.
The updated proposal removes language that would have started an athlete's eligibility clock at high school graduation. Instead, the clock would begin when an athlete first enrolls full-time in college or at the start of the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever comes first.
Under the proposal, athletes would be allowed five seasons of competition over a five-year period once their eligibility clock begins.
The change applies to all sports and comes after recommendations from representatives of men's hockey, men's basketball and the military service academies.
Hockey leaders raised concerns because many players spend time in junior leagues or prep schools before enrolling in college. The NHL and the NHL Players' Association both voiced concerns about how the original proposal could affect the sport's development pipeline.
The NCAA said implementation plans outlined during the Council's May meeting will remain in place but will be updated to reflect the revised language. Those plans address athletes who still have eligibility remaining and prospective students who turned 19 before 2026 but have not yet enrolled in college.
The Council also reminded schools and conferences that requests for eligibility waivers under current rules must be submitted by July 31.
A vote on the age-based eligibility model could take place during the Council's June 23-24 meeting.