Former Texas guard Chendall Weaver is one of 12 players named in a lawsuit filed in Davidson County, Tennessee, that is seeking another season of college eligibility from the NCAA.
The case, first reported by Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, lists the NCAA as the defendant and asks for a temporary injunction that would let the players return to the college game for a fifth season.
Vanderbilt player Jalen Washington is among the plaintiffs, and the filing also includes a supportive letter from the Duquesne athletic director. The group is challenging the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility policy, which was approved on June 23.
The rule, called the NCAA’s new “Five-for-Five” eligibility rule, is set to start with student-athletes enrolled for the 2026-27 academic year. Under it, players would get five seasons of eligibility. Previously, student-athletes had five years to use four seasons.
The new five-year window would begin on the academic year of a player’s 19th birthday, or the academic year of college enrollment, whichever comes first. Redshirts are being eliminated, and the only listed exceptions are pregnancy, military service or religious missions, similar to what is common for LDS-practicing athletes.
Because the rule is currently set to take effect in 2026-27, Texas players such as Weaver would not be eligible to return for a fifth season under the new system.
Texas currently has 14 players on its roster, one short of the 15-player maximum.
Weaver, listed at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, played in 36 games with two starts last season for Sean Miller’s Longhorns. He averaged 5.8 points and 4.1 rebounds in 20.9 minutes per game.
His biggest moment came in Texas’ NCAA Tournament First Four win over NC State, when he posted 11 points, 10 rebounds and two steals in the Longhorns’ 68-66 victory.
As a junior, Weaver dealt with multiple injuries and appeared in 20 games, averaging 6.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game.
He arrived in Austin as a sophomore in 2023 and quickly won over Texas fans with his energy and toughness, eventually carving out a role as the team’s sixth man.
In his first season with the Longhorns, Weaver played in 34 games and made six starts, averaging 6.2 points and three rebounds in just under 19 minutes per game.
He built a reputation as a guard who played far bigger than his size, becoming one of the SEC’s better rebounding guards because of his athleticism.
There was also reason to think his game could keep growing after he shot 49% from the field but only 23.7% from three-point range as a sophomore.
That progress was interrupted by a groin injury in the middle of his junior season, which kept him out for the next 15 games before he returned for the regular-season finale against Oklahoma.
After his introductory press conference, Texas coach Sean Miller said he wanted Weaver back for the 2025-26 season.
“In terms of Chendall Weaver, I don't know what coach wouldn't be a fan of how he plays,” said Miller.
“He's so selfless with the way he impacts defense, offense, I thought he made a huge difference in the end of Texas’ season, when he started to play again.”
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