NEWS: NCAA Wins Appeal to Withhold Extra Eligibility to High School Class of 2022 Athletes, State Court Rulings Still Apply

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The NCAA received a major legal win this past Friday as federal judges in the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a ruling made by Colorado District Judge Charlotte Sweeney back in July. Sweeney's ruling tentatively granted college athletes who graduated high school in 2022 an extra year of eligibility.

Back in June, the NCAA Division One Cabinet unanimously approved a new age-based eligibility model. Broadly speaking, the new eligibility model erased redshirts and gave student-athletes a five-year window to use their eligibility.

However, college athletes who were from the high school Class of 2022 and had expired their eligibility at the 2025-26 academic calendar year were NOT granted an extra year of eligibility.

That detail, in turn, sparked numerous lawsuits against the NCAA and a back-and-forth legal battle that featured temporary injunctions and stays.

It should be noted, however, that similar lawsuits taking place in the state courts are not directly affected by this ruling. That said, it is unlikely that many (or any) notable temporary restraining orders (TROs) originating in the state courts will be produced before the end of the 2026 cross country season.

This is significant news as it pertains to athletes like Mia Cochran (Washington), Myles Hogan (Oregon), Riley Chamberlain (BYU) and more. Each of those athletes held the potential to race this fall had the NCAA's appeal failed. Now, podium-caliber teams such as the Oregon men and BYU women will be without key All-American-caliber names (who they've already been without this fall).

It should be noted that BYU's Taylor Rohatinsky did receive a TRO in a Utah state court earlier this season, allowing her to compete at Pre-Nationals and the BIG 12 XC Championships. She is expected to continue competing through the remainder of the NCAA's 2026 cross country postseason.