NCAA to issue blanket waiver increasing preseason practice, fall camp rosters

The NCAA is set to issue a blanket waiver regarding preseason practice and fall camp rosters, according to the Division I Committee for Legislative Relief. They will increase from 110 players to 120, and a permanent change will also be under consideration.

The roster increase, which will take effect with the 2024 fall season, came from a request from the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee and Football Championship Subdivision Oversight Committee Administrative Subcommittee. A vote is scheduled in mid-May to decide on future legislation, according to the NCAA, and the Division I Council would then take action in late June.

In addition, the NCAA said, the waiver will start the process of removing the rule that allows the replacement of a student-athlete.

Spring practice is getting underway across the country as teams make their preparations for the 2024 season. There’s also a transfer portal window set to open in April, and the expectation is there will be plenty of movement when that time comes.

The NCAA also updated its memo for two-time transfers

Ahead of that two-week portal window for football, the NCAA updated its memo for two-time transfers, On3’s Pete Nakos reported. The guidance circles around a lawsuit in West Virginia against the NCAA’s transfer waiver policy. The NCAA agreed to terms on a preliminary injunction in December, which lasts through the end of the spring sports season.

With no further updates at this time, the NCAA has updated its memo ahead of the college basketball portal window opening on Monday and lasting until May 1. The spring football window is scheduled from April 16 to April 30.

The memo, just like the one released in December, states that “as long as the undergraduate student-athlete transfers to another Division I institution during the 2023-24 academic year, the student-athlete will not be subject to Bylaw 14.5.5.1 during the 2024-25 academic year.”

Athletes “would continue to be subject to all other existing eligibility legislation and to any eligibility standards required for competition that may be developed or modified for the 2024-25 academic year.”

According to current rules, the NCAA permits underclassmen to transfer one time without having to sit out a year. If an underclassman wishes to transfer a second time, the student-athlete usually needs the NCAA to grant a waiver to compete immediately. Absent an approved waiver, the athlete has to sit out a year. 

Pete Nakos contributed to this report.