The NCAA’s Division I Council has granted blanket waivers for all athletes to play immediately.
The NCAA’s announcement Wednesday includes all Division I sports but is contingent on certain criteria. Transfers previously were required to sit out a season unless granted a waiver by the NCAA. The NCAA had decided on waivers on a case-by-case basis but had been more lenient as the coronavirus pandemic depleted rosters.
“The Council continued its trend of voting in favor of maximum flexibility for student-athletes during the pandemic,” said council chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletic director at Pennsylvania. “Allowing transfer student-athletes to compete immediately will provide additional opportunities to student-athletes during this continued difficult time, and perhaps allow games to be played that otherwise might not have been.”
The decision will have an immediate impact on men’s basketball programs, with some transfers becoming eligible for games on Wednesday. Among the players who should give their programs a big boost include Creighton’s Alex O’Connell, Memphis’ DeAndre Williams, Miami’s Elijah Olaniyi, Xavier’s Ben Stanley and Notre Dame’s Trey Wertz.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga received its own quick bump Wednesday night.