By KACE KIESCHNICK, Tiger Rag Staff Reporter
A ruling in the U.S. District Court of Colorado could alter the landscape of the upcoming collegiate athletics seasons right before the starting pistol was ready to fire.
U.S. District Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted an injunction lastFriday against the NCAA allowing class of 2022 athletes who just exhausted their final season of eligibility to be included in the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility model with a fifth year of eligibility.
On Sunday, Sweeney clarified that her ruling does not affect any other NCAA rules. Players will not be able to return if they have already signed professional contracts; there will be no exceptions for them to enter the portal outside of the transfer window, and schools cannot exceed the revenue-share cap limit to sign a returning player. Athletes over the age of 34 are also ineligible.
Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports said on WNSP radio in Mobile, Alabama, on Monday morning that the injunction is not as impactful as originally thought.
“The ruling only gives athletes the fifth year if they submitted their name for the portal back in January,” he said. “And the schools can’t just create a roster spot. So, really what it does is, those athletes that did happen to enter the portal in January, they can move. But they have to move to a place that has a roster spot, and it’s really late, especially in football, for a roster spot to even exist. Or they can just stay at their previous school if it has a roster spot.”
For LSU, that limits the options, especially in football where Lane Kiffin’s roster is all but finalized. Many graduated players from the 2022 class, like defensive end Jack Pyburn, have already signed pro deals. Although Pyburn went undrafted, he signed a free agent contract with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Will Wade’s basketball roster, which currently has only five players, is in dire need of experienced depth. Wade is waiting on NCAA rulings on a group of overseas commits, but even with the addition of those, the roster still needs filling out. A slew of men’s basketball players tried to enter the portal when the injunction was first announced, but Sunday’s clarification suggests those players will not remain eligible to do so.
The only player able to return from last year’s roster under the injunction is guard Rashad King. King averaged just 5.8 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 18.7 minutes a game last season, but he could still serve as a rotational contributor on Wade’s roster. King was listed as one of the plaintiffs in a separate lawsuit to include class of 2022 players in the five-for-five model filed in North Carolina on Thursday.
For Kim Mulkey’s Lady Tigers, the door could be opened for forward Amiya Joyner to return. Joyner spent three years at East Carolina and played her senior season at LSU. She led the team with 7.5 rebounds per game to go along with 11.8 points and 1.2 blocks.
Jay Johnson is already over the 34-man college baseball roster limit after welcoming his high school signee class, which now includes lefty ace Logan Schmidt. If he can or wants to clear up roster spots, there are not many eligible suitors.
Infielder Brayden Simpson announced a desire to return to college baseball and enter the transfer portal, but that may not be possible after the transfer window closed at the end of June.
First baseman Zach Yorke reposted Simpson’s announcement but has not signaled that desire himself. Those are likely the only two graduates the new ruling would apply to.
Despite not being drafted, outfielder Chris Stanfield would likely be unable to return after playing 38 games in the MLB Draft League, the second half of which is reserved for players who have exhausted their amateur eligibility. Stanfield played in the first half of the league before returning to LSU last year.
Coach Beth Torina could bring back two starters to the LSU softball team. Catcher Maci Bergeron and infielder Avery Hodge both graduated in the spring and have not begun professional careers. Hodge batted .209 with 23 runs scored and 13 RBIs in 46 starts, and Bergeron started all 53 games, hitting .253 with 31 RBIs and three homers.
The NCAA is appealing the injunction, and the future of the class of 2022 will be decided by how that appeal plays out. For now, college athletes across the country will be weighing decisions of whether or not to return for one extra season, and the ripple effects are sure to be felt in Baton Rouge.
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