Times are getting crazy when it comes to college sports. Gone are the days when players get four years and move on. Now, the NCAA has a new age-based five-year policy in place, which is soemthing that can work for a lot of players who think that they have just one or two years of eligibility remaining.
One former Virginia Tech men's basketball player sued to get an extra yer of eligibility and he won his case in court to be allowed to play in the upcoming 2026-27 season for the University of Cincinnati in the Big 12.
Former Virginia Tech men's basketball player MJ Collins gets extra year of eligibility with Ohio court ruling
Hamilton County Judge Chris Wagner granted the student-athletes who sued for an extra year of eligibility the right to play in this upcoming winter. The NCAA wasn't thrilled with the ruling, but it gives former Virginia Tech guard MJ Collins another year of eligibility.
Collins spent two years at Virginia Tech as a freshman and sophomore before he was part of the mass exodus out of Blacksburg following the 2023-24 season. In his sophomore year with the Hokies, he averaged 7.4 points in 32 games with 2.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists, which are currently both career highs.
After he left Virginia Tech, he ended up at Vanderbilt for his junior season with fellow former Hokies teammate Tyler Nickel, before he ended up at Utah State this past season. Now, he can enter the Transfer Portal or stay at Cincinnati. He averaged 17.5 points this past season for the Aggies while shooting 36% from behind the arc. He exhausted all of his eligibility, but under the five-year policy, he will get his fifth season.
This will open the door for more athletes across college sports to do the same thing, and don't be surprised if some Virginia Tech athletes at some point do it.
Add us as a preferred source on Google