Ohio Governor authorizes colleges to bypass NCAA eligibility rules

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed Executive Order 2026-04D, authorizing public and private colleges and universities within the state to allow student-athletes from the high school graduating class of 2022 to compete for a fifth year.

This move directly challenges recent NCAA eligibility guidelines. While the NCAA's new model provides up to five years of competition, its specific rollout guidance effectively denies a fifth season to athletes who graduated high school in 2022 and have already completed four seasons.

Governor DeWine stated the order aims to ensure fairness, noting, “We want Ohio’s student-athletes to have the same opportunity as student-athletes in other states.” The order allows institutions to decline enforcing the NCAA's age-based restrictions while legal challenges regarding these eligibility rules proceed.