NCAA Rule Change Will Prohibit Schools from Blocking Student-Athlete Transfers

The NCAA is changing a rule that allows schools to block student-athletes from transferring to different programs.

Per NCAA.org's Michelle Brutlag Hosick, the Division I Council approved a new "notification-of-transfer" rule that requires schools to enter a student who wishes to transfer into the national transfer database. At that point, coaches from other schools are free to contact the student.

Per Hosick, starting with the upcoming 2018-19 academic year, the council also ruled athletes can play in up to four games each season without losing a season of competition. 

Under the old transfer model, student-athletes had to receive permission from their current schools to contact a different university before they were allowed to receive a scholarship offer.

"This creates a safe place for student-athletes to have a conversation with their coaches and makes the whole process more transparent," said Nicholas Clark, a Division I student-athlete advisory committee representative. "This will clean the process up and give more influence and flexibility to the student-athlete."

Schools have drawn criticism for preventing a student-athlete from transferring to a program that better suits them, either academically or in their chosen sport.

For instance, in May 2017, Kansas State football coach Bill Snyder initially blocked 35 schools for wide receiver Corey Sutton to attend when he informed the Wildcats he wanted to transfer. None of the options were in the Big 12.

Sutton was granted his release in June 2017 and transferred to Appalachian State.

The new transfer rule goes into effect Oct. 15.