The 10th Circuit overturns a lower court decision granting former Division I athletes another season, reinforcing the NCAA’s position as entitlement lawsuits continue nationwide.
The NCAA received a major legal boost Friday, November 6, after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit overturned a lower court ruling that would have granted several former Division I athletes an additional season of competition.
The case, Wisne et al. v. NCAA, involved athletes who enrolled in college in 2022 and completed four seasons during the 2025-26 academic year. They challenged the NCAA’s decision to deny them another year under its revised qualification policy.
The appeals court ruled that the athletes failed to provide sufficient evidence establishing the relevant labor market for their antitrust claims. The judges questioned their argument that all Division I sports belonged to one market, noting that athletes generally seek opportunities within their respective sports.
That failure led the panel to reverse the preliminary injunction. However, the court did not resolve every issue surrounding the NCAA's policy, including its potential anticompetitive effects or the association's justification for the restrictions.
Approved in June 2026, the NCAA’s updated Division I policy allows eligible athletes up to five years of competition within a five year period, replacing the previous system of four seasons over five years.
However, the change does not automatically restore competency for everyone. Athletes who exhausted their previous eligibility during the 2025-26 academic year were excluded from receiving an additional season.
Although the ruling strengthens the NCAA’s legal position, the wider dispute remains unresolved. Hundreds of athletes are still involved in related lawsuits across the country, creating uncertainty for college programs managing their rosters.
The 10th Circuit's decision does not settle those separate cases, which will continue through their respective legal proceedings.
For now, the ruling marks an important victory for the NCAA as it defends its revised eligibility system. However, with further legal challenges still underway, the future of college sports suitability remains unsettled.