DeWine Order Allows Ohio Universities to Grant Some Athletes a Fifth Year

Toledo, OH, October 14, 2026 —

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order allowing state colleges and universities to grant a fifth year of eligibility to student-athletes who graduated from high school in 2022. The order directly challenges a new NCAA eligibility rule, according to the available description of the action.

The stated aim is to give athletes in Ohio opportunities similar to those available in other states. The information provided does not identify which colleges or universities will grant the additional year, how institutions will apply the order, or how many athletes could be affected.

Details about the NCAA rule being challenged were not provided, including when it took effect or the specific eligibility limits it sets. The information also does not state when DeWine signed the order, whether it includes conditions beyond the high school graduation year, or what response, if any, the NCAA has made.

The order concerns student-athletes who graduated high school in 2022 and the possibility of an additional year of eligibility at Ohio state colleges and universities. The available information does not establish whether every athlete in that group qualifies or whether individual institutions must take further steps before granting the year.

As described, the executive order sets out a state-level response to the NCAA eligibility rule. Its practical effect will depend on implementation details that have not been provided. No information was available about the order’s legal basis, the institutions’ plans, or any subsequent developments.

Story summarized from the original created by Associated Press on www.13abc.com, see more information here.

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