The NCAA picked up a major win in the latest round of the eligibility fight, and the immediate effect is simple: seniors from the 2022 class are ineligible for a fifth year for now unless they have a state injunction.
That matters because the Tenth Circuit granted the NCAA’s stay request in Wisne v. NCAA, pausing Judge Sweeney’s nationwide injunction while the appeal moves forward. In practical terms, the federal fifth-season protection that had been helping qualifying Class of 2022 athletes is on hold.
For NC State fans, the biggest name in the middle of this is Ven-Allen Lubin. He committed to the Pack just about a week ago, and his situation had already been sorted through a separate Texas ruling.
Lubin’s path to eligibility had gotten clearer after he won in Texas, which is why this Colorado ruling doesn’t change his status. He is still eligible because of that Texas case, even with the Colorado stay now in place.
The Colorado case had briefly been the one giving everyone eligibility. Players sued in several states, and Colorado moved first.
The judge didn’t limit the decision to just that lawsuit; she issued a blanket injunction that made all 2022 seniors eligible for a fifth year. The NCAA appealed, and now that broad protection has been stayed.
That means the athletes who were counting on the Colorado ruling are back in limbo for the moment. For NC State, that includes Jamel Johnson, whose 2026 eligibility is once again in question. It also affects Drew Lovelace of the soccer team, who was relying on the same decision.
Lubin’s situation, though, remains tied to Texas. He is also involved in a North Carolina case that was pushed back, while the Colorado case will now have to be sorted out by a higher court.
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NC State Found A Way To Keep UNC From Cutting This Rivalry Down
With ACC scheduling changes trimming the league slate from 20 games to 18, the rivalry between North Carolina and NC State was in danger of losing one of its familiar annual touchpoints. Instead, the schools have worked out a way to keep the matchup on the calendar twice a year, preserving the kind of rhythm that has long made this series feel bigger than a simple conference date.
The setup centers on a neutral-site showcase in Greensboro under the Tobacco Road Classic banner, paired with the regular ACC meeting in Chapel Hill. It is a two-year arrangement built to protect the rivalrys place in the sports annual fabric, with the balance of power at the neutral floor set to flip when the series comes back around. [Read more 🡒]