New NCAA DI Transfer Waiver Being Considered
If adopted by the Division I Council in April, scholarship athletes in the sports of baseball, basketball, football, and men’s ice hockey will essentially be able to use the One-Time Transfer Exception to be immediately eligible at their new university.
If adopted, such transfer waivers could be approved as long as the transferring student-athlete:
- Receives a transfer release from their previous university,
- Leaves their previous university while academically eligible,
- Meets the academic requirements to maintain their academic progress at their new university, and
- Is not under disciplinary suspension when they leave their previous university.
There are a couple of key points to keep in mind.
- First, a student-athlete’s previous university will need to provide a transfer release as noted above. The university will still have the right to object to an athlete’s transfer. If they do so, they will be required to offer an opportunity for an appeal to the student-athlete.
- Second, the Transfer Waiver Working Group will be seeking feedback from Division I student-athlete representatives, coaches associations, athletic directors, and conference offices prior to the Division I Council’s April meeting. Given the concerns of some high-profile coaches and athletic directors, it’s quite possible that additional conditions could be required of transferring student-athletes, such as a minimum GPA.