Federal judges issues restraining order against NCAA on transfer rule

A federal judge issued a 14-day restraining order against the NCAA on Wednesday pertaining to transfers who are sitting out this season because it's their second transfer.

Merrimack guard Malik Edmead is one of the players affected by the judgment. Edmead was ruled ineligible by the NCAA last month because he had already used his one-time transfer waiver when he transferred from Merrimack to Albany.

The NCAA has allowed a one-time transfer exemption, and players can transfer as graduate students. However, under the current rule, the NCAA requires a player to sit out if they were transferring for a second time as an undergrad.

Within an hour of U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey hitting the NCAA with the restraining order, the NCAA released a statement and said it would no longer enforce the year-in-residency rule, essentially opening up the recruiting market for all players at all times, regardless of how many times a player has transferred in the past.

“As a result of today’s decision impacting Division I student-athletes, the Association will not enforce the year in residency requirement for multiple-time transfers and will begin notifying member schools,” the statement read.

The restraining order, which was filed in West Virginia, required them to stop enforcing the rule for 14 days. A lawsuit filed by seven states (including West Virginia) argued that the rule violated federal antitrust laws.

There was a hearing set for Dec. 27. With the NCAA's announcement that they would not enforce the rule moving forward, it's unknown if that hearing is necessary.

Edmead could be eligible immediately. However, he could still opt to redshirt this season. He has missed 11 games, so now he has to weigh if he wants two full seasons of eligibility or, essentially, one-and-a-half seasons.