The NCAA Division I Cabinet met again yesterday to discuss the proposed Five in Five rule, along with several other potential rule changes.
As part of the ongoing discussions, the Cabinet approved a modification to the proposed model that would start an athlete’s eligibility clock either upon initial full-time college enrollment or at the beginning of the academic year following the athlete’s 19th birthday—whichever comes first. If ultimately adopted, this change would apply across all sports, including hockey.
While this adjustment represents a small victory for some prospective student-athletes, the overall impact of the rule, once officially implemented, will remain largely unchanged.
Under the proposed model:
- Players born in 2005 will have already used at least one year—and potentially two years—of eligibility.
- Players born in 2006 will have used one year of eligibility.
- Players born in 2007 who choose to play junior hockey this season will also use one year of eligibility.
That means the 2008 birth-year group is effectively on the clock right now. The decisions these players make over the next year will play a significant role in determining their future opportunities and pathways.
Now is the time to develop a clear plan and understand the long-term implications of every option available.
