The Oklahoma State Cowgirls basketball team has already made waves by assembling the nation's top transfer portal class, and the recent NCAA rule change might just be the cherry on top. The new "5-for-5" legislation, which was passed earlier this week, is set to revolutionize college athletics by altering the eligibility landscape. This rule gives student-athletes five years to play five seasons, eliminating the traditional redshirt year except in rare circumstances.
This new eligibility framework kicks off in the fall of 2027, but the NCAA is getting a head start by implementing it for current student-athletes this fall. This shift will directly impact the eligibility of current OSU basketball players, as the NCAA plans to reassess and potentially reclassify athletes based on which set of rules favors them more.
For the Cowgirls' basketball team, this rule change could be a game-changer. Head coach Jacie Hoyt and her staff have already put together an impressive transfer class, and now they might be able to keep this talented group together for two years instead of just one.
Key players like Talexa Weeter, Nene Ndiaye, Audi Crooks, Ellie Brueggemann, and Staille Heard, all listed as seniors, stand to benefit. Although they've each played three years of college basketball without redshirting, the new rule could grant them an additional two years of eligibility.
This extra time could be especially advantageous for someone like Crooks, who has WNBA aspirations. It offers her the flexibility to further hone her skills and boost her draft stock, much like Olivia Miles did by staying an extra year at TCU.
There's also an intriguing situation with center Mojca Jelenc, a new addition to the Cowgirls. Officially listed as a freshman, Jelenc brings significant international experience to the table and is 23 years old.
The rule specifies that eligibility begins with full-time college enrollment or the academic year after turning 19. How this affects Jelenc's eligibility remains to be seen, but it's certainly a storyline to watch as the season approaches.
With these changes, the Cowgirls are poised to make a significant impact not just this season, but potentially for years to come. The NCAA's new rule could be a pivotal moment for college basketball, and Oklahoma State seems ready to capitalize on it.
In Other News...
Eric Morris Sent A Clear Message With Oklahoma States Media Days Group
The Big 12s release of its expected attendees for football media days offered a small but telling glimpse into how Eric Morris wants to present Oklahoma State heading into the summer spotlight. When the league gathers July 7 and 8 in Frisco, Texas, the Cowboys will be fronted by Morris and a four-man group that includes quarterback Drew Mestemaker, running back Caleb Hawkins, defensive end Jaleel Johnson and linebacker Ethan Wesloski, a mix that points to offense, defense and leadership all getting some airtime.
There is also a clear thread running through the group. Three of those four players were with Morris last season at North Texas, while Johnson is the lone holdover from Stillwater, a setup that makes the Cowboys delegation feel less like a random sampling and more like a statement about continuity and familiarity. The event will be shown live on ESPNU and ESPN2, so the first public look at Morris version of Oklahoma State should come with plenty of attention attached. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Lutzs Rebuilt Roster Comes With One Huge NCAA Catch
Steve Lutzs offseason rebuild at Oklahoma State is already carrying an extra layer of roster management, because the NCAAs changing eligibility landscape is arriving right alongside it. The Cowboys have pieced together a new recruiting and transfer class for 2026-27, but the bigger question now is how the sports new 5-for-5 framework will sort out the players already in the program and the newcomers who are trying to fit into it.
The rule, which is set to remove most redshirts and give athletes five years to play five seasons, will begin affecting current players starting in fall 2027, with eligibility reviews coming sooner for some cases. For Oklahoma State, that means a few players could wind up with more college basketball ahead of them, while others are still waiting on NCAA decisions that could change how the roster looks long before the first ball is tipped. [Read more 🡒]
Every 2026 Opponent Is A Reminder Of Oklahoma State's Reset
The reset in Stillwater has been obvious since Eric Morris arrived after Mike Gundys firing, and so has the size of the job in front of him. Morris brought several former North Texas players with him, but the larger challenge is turning around a program that has gone 4-20 over the past two seasons and now has a 2026 schedule loaded with reminders of how far the Cowboys have fallen.
Recent matchups against those opponents tell the story well enough. Oklahoma State was beaten at West Virginia and by UCF in its last meeting, and it also endured lopsided losses at Colorado, Iowa State and Oregon while the league slide kept growing. Even the home stretch offered little relief, which is why every date on the 2026 slate feels less like a fresh start than another test of whether Morris can get the Cowboys pointed back in the right direction. [Read more 🡒]