NCAA board recommends delaying change to transfer waiver

The NCAA Board of Governors has recommended delaying a change to the transfer waiver process that would permit all athletes to switch schools once without sitting out a season.

The NCAA announced the board’s recommendation Thursday after several days of meetings, but added the Division I council could still a vote on making the waiver change in May and have it go into effect immediately.

Currently, NCAA rules require football, baseball, men’s hockey and men’s and women’s basketball players to sit out a season after transferring. Athletes in all other sports are allowed by rule a one-time exception so they can play right away after switching schools.

A change to the waiver was recommended by a working group in February that would mirror the one-time exception, and go into effect this year. That was before college sports were shut down and thrown into disarray by the coronavirus pandemic.

The board did agree to lift a moratorium on legislative changes to the transfer rules, allowing NCAA member schools to consider proposals in January for a one-time exception for all transferring Division I athletes.