We could be headed towards a scenario where college athletes get an additional year of eligibility if the NCAA decides to pass a rule that changes how many years a player will have to compete. For Janae Jackson, who graduated in 2016, she is at least preparing for what could come in the future.
Yes, you read that correctly. A 32-year-old basketball player who graduated in 2016 has reportedly entered her name in the transfer portal, in hopes of gaining an extra year of eligibility to play one more season in the collegiate ranks.
According to SB Nation’s Mitchell Northam, Janae Jackson submitted her paperwork with Youngstown State to enter the transfer portal. After last competing in 2016, nine years ago, Jackson is doing the same as some others in college basketball. As the House settlement is awaiting to be approved, there is talk of the NCAA changing its eligibility rules, which would allow players to potentially get an extra year.
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What’s interesting about this particular situation is the fact that Jackson has not played basketball since graduating from Youngstown State in 2016. But, this did not stop her from submitting paperwork with the school, just in case the NCAA changes their rules regarding how many years a student athlete can compete within.
“Institution is aware student is (sic) clearly exhausted eligibility. However, student has requested to be entered and general counsel has guided the best course of action is to enter the student,” SB Nation noted that Youngstown State said in their filing.
How Would Janae Jackson Still Have Eligibility? It’s Pretty Simple
After playing at Northern Illinois, Janae Jackson transferred to Youngstown State for her senior year of college. If you’re wondering how she would argue that her eligibility clock has not run out, it comes down to how many seasons she actually played in college.
In reality, Jackson had only actually played three seasons of college basketball, during her five years in college. Due to an injury sustained, and having to sit out one season due to the transfer rules that were in place during that time period in college basketball, she technically has another year of eligibility remaining.
Currently, the NCAA allows an athlete five years to play four seasons. But again, with a number of lawsuits being filed, along with the upcoming House settlement that could change how the eligibility clock works, Jackson obviously saw an opportunity to at least put her name in the portal, just in case.
I can’t say I blame her for at least trying, given that we have seen multiple players who have run out of eligibility, according to NCAA rules, enter their names into the transfer portal just in case the rules have changed.
Right now, we are headed towards a future filled with plenty of unknowns, especially when it comes to roster limits in college athletics.
But, the other issue that is starting to gain more traction centers around how the NCAA can control how many years an athlete can compete at the collegiate level.
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