Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed an executive order giving Ohio colleges and universities the option to allow certain student-athletes to compete for an additional season while legal challenges involving NCAA eligibility rules continue.
The order applies to otherwise eligible student-athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 and have already completed four seasons of competition.
The NCAA adopted a new eligibility model in June that allows eligible student-athletes up to five years of competition. However, under the NCAA’s current guidelines, athletes who graduated in 2022 and have completed four seasons are not eligible for a fifth season.
DeWine says fairness should remain part of the process as the rules change, adding that Ohio athletes should have the same opportunities as student-athletes in other states.
Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel also voiced support for the order, saying current student-athletes should have access to the same opportunities as their peers.
The executive order allows Ohio’s public and private colleges and universities to choose not to enforce the NCAA’s restriction against these athletes while legal challenges move forward.
The issue is part of ongoing legal disputes over the NCAA’s age-based eligibility limits, including a case filed in Hamilton County.
The order is the latest action by DeWine addressing changes in college athletics rules. He also issued executive orders in 2021 and 2024 related to student-athletes’ ability to earn compensation from their name, image and likeness.
