A federal judge’s ruling on Friday, July 31, has opened the door for another year of eligibility for college athletes who graduated high school in 2022, and Oklahoma State could feel the ripple effects in a few different sports.
Judge Charlotte Sweeney of the U.S. District Court of Colorado said the athletes would “suffer irreparable harm without issuance of an injunction.
And the balance of equities, as well as the public interest, favor them. They are entitled to the injunctive relief they seek,” while the NCAA said it plans to appeal.
For OSU, the decision does not change the situations for football player Iman Oates or basketball player Kashie Natt. Both have already pursued separate lawsuits for extra eligibility and received injunctions, but both began their college careers before 2022, so this ruling does not apply to them.
The bigger impact could come from players whose timelines fit the new ruling. One of the most prominent names is Parsa Fallah, the men’s basketball fan favorite who tore his ACL late last season.
Fallah was part of the 2021 class when he arrived in the United States during the school year, but immigration delays pushed back his enrollment at Southern Utah and led to a redshirt. He went on to play four seasons total at Southern Utah, Oregon State and Oklahoma State.
Fallah was also recently named in an age-based lawsuit filed in California that involved 45 athletes, all of whom were in the 2022 class. It is still unclear whether he will be covered by that ruling or end up in more legal fights.
Softball could have an opening, too. The Cowgirls have a roster spot available, and that spot could potentially go to Amanda Hasler, who was part of the 2022 class and led OSU in RBIs last spring. The return of ace Ruby Meylan, however, was taken off the table Sunday after Sweeney issued further clarification, including that the NCAA would not allow pro athletes to come back.
Elsewhere, the list of possible returners is shorter but still notable. Linebacker Bryan McCoy is the only football player at OSU who would be eligible.
Women’s basketball guard Micah Gray would be the lone player on that roster with a path back, while women’s golfer Grace Kilcrease also appears eligible. In baseball, pitcher Brennan Phillips could return.
Even with that list, nothing is settled. It is still unknown whether those players would choose to come back, whether Oklahoma State has room for them, or whether players from other schools who decide to return might end up transferring elsewhere.
For now, the ruling has simply added another layer of uncertainty - and a few more names to watch.
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