NCAA releases statement on court order allowing immediate eligibility for multi-transfer athletes

The NCAA is changing their stance on the year in residency requirement for multiple-time transfers.

On Wednesday, West Virginia Judge John P. Bailey ruled against the NCAA in a lawsuit stemming from a battle for eligibility involving West Virginia men’s basketball’s RaeQuan Battle. The Mountaineers star has been dealing with a controversial decision from the NCAA that many other athletes have fought against, as he was denied a transfer waiver after he joined the team in the offseason.

The latest move in the drama was Battle filing a lawsuit that would allow him to play immediately, and Bailey ruled in his favor, but the decision had a ripple effect, as the judge also ruled that the NCAA can’t “make an athlete sit out a year,” and lifted the year-in-residence restriction on multi-time transfers for 14 day in the process.

Now, the NCAA has made their stance known on the matter, deciding to do away with the rule moving forward. Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, who was all over the Battle news, shared their statement to X, formerly known as Twitter.

“As a result of today’s decision impacting Division I student-athletes, the Association will not enforce the year in residency requirement for multiple-time transfers and will begin notifying member schools,” the NCAA’s statement ready, per Dellenger.

Alas, it seems as if RaeQuan Battle’s suit has helped change the way the process works for transfers seeking eligibility waivers. That’s something someone like North Carolina wide receiver Tez Walker can get behind, as he dealt with a similar problem during the football season.

More on RaeQuan Battle, West Virginia Mountaineers

Moreover, the initial saga began when Battle’s waiver request was denied this spring, after the former Montana State star decided he wanted to take his talents to West Virginia. 

The NCAA denied Battle’s initial waiver request, and then denied West Virginia’s appeal on his behalf last month, after the NCAA announced more stern guidelines for transfers. The aforementioned guidelines included, “proof that a transfer would enhance a player’s mental health if it had been ‘impaired’ at a previous school,” ESPN’s Myron Medcalf reported.

According to Medcalf, Battle told the NCAA the transfer to West Virginia would be beneficial to his mental health, the byproduct of a traumatic stretch in recent years. “Battle, one of the few Indigenous Division I basketball players, has also accused the NCAA of ignoring Native American communities,” Medcalf wrote.

Amid all the drama, Battle filed a federal lawsuit against the NCAA last week, where he asked a judge to issue a temporary restraining order in his effort to gain immediate eligibility to play. Per ESPN, his lawyers have accused the NCAA of weaponizing waiver requests with inconsistent evaluations.

“For the reasons stated above, Plaintiff asks this Court to judge, hold, and declare that he has an economic right to market and license his name, image and likeness,” stated the complaint filed on Battle’s behalf in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia by attorney Rocky Gianola, via Medcalf. “For the reasons stated above, Plaintiff asks this Court to judge, hold, and declare that he has a right to attend West Virginia University. 

“For the reasons stated above, Plaintiff asks this Court to judge, hold, and declare that he has a right to play on the varsity basketball team at West Virginia University. For the reasons stated above, Plaintiff asks this Court to judge, hold, and declare that he has a right to be treated fairly by the NCAA.”

Now, the situation has been rectified, and it seems as if the NCAA is done cracking down on stopping players like RaeQuan Battle from seeing the playing field.