Judge Blocks NCAA Eligibility Ruling for Cincinnati, Xavier

What the Injunction Covers

On July 9, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Chris Wagner issued a preliminary injunction preventing the NCAA from enforcing a new eligibility policy.

The rule granted a fifth year to athletes who graduated high school in 2023 and later, but left most 2022 graduates out of the benefit.

Wagner’s written decision called the NCAA’s approach arbitrary and questioned how it advances competition.

Impact on Cincinnati and Xavier Basketball

The ruling directly affects the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University men’s basketball squads, allowing them to add key players to their rosters.

Players such as Xavier’s Filip Borovicanin, and the duo of UC’s MJ Collins Jr. and Kolby King from Utah State are now eligible for a fifth season.

All three testified at a July 1 hearing that accompanied the preliminary injunction.

Key Figures and Legal Details

The lawsuit was filed on June 24 on behalf of roughly two dozen Division I athletes seeking the extra year of eligibility.

Judge Wagner also clarified that the athletes are not bound by the NCAA transfer portal requirements, a point raised during the July 1 hearing.

During that hearing, an NCAA attorney questioned UC head coach Jerrod Calhoun about sanctions for adding a player like King who was not in the portal.

What This Means Going Forward

The injunction blocks the NCAA from enforcing the contested rule while the case proceeds, giving the named players the green light to compete this season.

If the court ultimately rules in favor of the NCAA, the eligibility decisions could be reversed, but the temporary order keeps the athletes on the field for now.

Basketball fans and analysts view the decision as a setback for the association’s attempt to limit a fifth year for a specific class of athletes.