The Tenth Circuit’s ruling in the Colorado eligibility case didn’t move the needle for Braeden Carrington, at least not in the way some might have expected.
That court sided with the NCAA and shut down the broad idea that all 2022 class athletes could claim a fifth year of eligibility. But Carrington’s situation is tied to a different legal path, and for now he remains cleared to play next season.
Carrington is a strong example of why this is getting so messy. He played four straight years after high school and never used a redshirt, and he’s trying to use a fifth year as a 2022 class athlete. Even so, the Tenth Circuit decision does not change his status.
The key detail is that the case the Tenth Circuit reviewed was specific to Colorado and that broader fifth-year motion. Individual lawsuits at the state or local level are not affected in the same way.
That matters because Carrington was named a plaintiff in a California state court case alongside Donovan Dent, Jordan Pope, Xavian Lee, and about 20 other players. That injunction went in the players’ favor, and those athletes are still eligible for next season.
So while the NCAA got a win in one lane, the fight is still very much alive in others. For Carrington and players in similar spots, the NCAA may now have to challenge each case one by one or try to push for a federal lawsuit that could sweep everything together.
For Wisconsin, the odd part is how little has been said. Since the temporary restraining order in Carrington’s case was approved, there hasn’t been anything official from the Badgers’ side, and Carrington himself hasn’t spoken publicly either.
Greg Gard has usually kept his distance from the legal side of college sports, and he tends to lean on the same kind of answer: "wait and see." That approach fits the moment, but this one is not disappearing quietly.
Carrington has been around the program and has practiced at times with the Badgers, which suggests Wisconsin is keeping the door open without fully locking anything in. Gard also said at one point the team wanted to save the last roster spot for a big man, but that hasn’t happened either. At this point, Carrington may wind up being the cleanest option, even if it leaves Wisconsin with more guard depth than it originally wanted.
A formal update could be coming soon. For now, though, the wait continues.
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