A temporary restraining order granted by an Indiana circuit court on Friday has restored the eligibility of eight college athletes, including Indiana University football players Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley. The ruling stems from a dispute over NCAA eligibility rules related to the COVID-19 pandemic and transfer policies.
The Monroe County Circuit Court order asserts that the plaintiffs “have shown by verified pleading and supporting evidence that immediate and irreparable injury will occur before notice can be served and a hearing held.” The court also found that the athletes demonstrated a “probable right to relief” and that the potential harm to them outweighed any burden on the NCAA.
The temporary restraining order (TRO) prevents the NCAA from declaring the eight athletes – Daley, Wyatt, Owen McDonald, Avry Tatum, Malik Reneau, Zalan Sarkany, Jordan Johnson and Yohan Traore – ineligible due to the NCAA’s decision not to extend the five-years-to-play-five eligibility reform to athletes from the high school class of 2022. It also prohibits the NCAA from enforcing its “ghost transfer” rule, which restricts transfers outside of the designated annual window. Furthermore, the NCAA is required to open the transfer portal for seven days, allowing these athletes to enter if they choose.
A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, in Monroe Circuit Court, where the court will consider the plaintiffs’ motion for a temporary injunction, which would provide a more permanent legal resolution. Until then, the athletes’ eligibility is reinstated, meaning Daley and Wyatt are able to play in Indiana’s game against North Texas this weekend.
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