​The NCAA has moved to overturn an Ohio judge’s decision that granted 15 student-athletes an extra year of eligibility, arguing that the judge failed to disclose potential conflicts of interest with universities tied to several players in the case. Yahoo Sports notes that Ohio Judge Chris Wagner is a Xavier alumnus who earned his law degree from the University of Cincinnati, and his wife holds the position of dean at UC’s College of Law. Among the 15 athletes named in the lawsuit, five have affiliations with either Cincinnati or Xavier.
In the wake of the ruling, the NCAA issued a statement saying it is evaluating its legal options. The organization contended that the court did not disclose apparent ties to one of the schools seeking to roster an ineligible player. The NCAA added that it intends to pursue all possible remedies, including seeking a stay of the court’s order pending appeal, as reported by Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger.
Previously, Wagner granted a preliminary injunction that allowed the 15 athletes to compete in the 2026-27 season despite the NCAA’s new age-based, five-year eligibility policy. The injunction also permitted the players to transfer immediately, even though the NCAA transfer portal was closed at the time.
The lawsuit, filed in June, challenges the NCAA’s newly adopted eligibility framework. Under the policy, an athlete’s eligibility clock starts when they enroll full-time in college or at the start of the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first.
Plaintiffs contend that the new rule unfairly excludes athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 without redshirting, while allowing older players from earlier classes to benefit from expanded eligibility. The suit states that NCAA athletes expect fair treatment and consistent application of NCAA rules, and it notes that the NCAA has declared plans to codify five years of competition permanently. The filing argues that the association intends to exclude all current seniors who finished high school in 2022 and did not redshirt.
Among the players affected by the injunction are Cincinnati guard MJ Collins and Xavier forward Filip Borovicanin, both of whom are now eligible to compete in the 2026-27 season. The other plaintiffs include Malik Messina-Moore, Kolby King, Javon Bennett, Chevalier Emery Jr., Jalen Quinn, Savannah White, Donovan Brown, Christian Henry, Ziare Wells, Cristian Carroll, Shawn Phillips Jr., Caden Powell, and Josh Reed.
As of now, the NCAA has not announced whether it will formally appeal the injunction. However, the organization’s most recent statement signals its intent to continue challenging the ruling while seeking to overturn the order.