CHARLESTON, W.Va. — College athletes who were denied the chance to play immediately after transferring a second time can return to competition – for now – after a federal judge issued a 14-day temporary restraining order Wednesday against the NCAA.

U.S. District Judge John Preston Bailey in northern West Virginia issued the order against the NCAA from enforcing the transfer rule. A lawsuit filed by West Virginia and six other states alleged the rule’s waiver process violated federal antitrust law. The order clears the way for athletes to play during the two-week period and also ensures that schools won’t be punished for allowing it.

The NCAA said in a statement it would comply with the order and notify schools.

The ruling comes while the transfer window is open for football and creates an opportunity for players who have already transferred using their so-called one-time exception for immediate eligibility to enter the portal again and be cleared to compete next season.

A hearing on the restraining order is scheduled for Dec. 27.

NCAA rules allow underclassmen to transfer once without having to sit out a year. But an additional transfer as an undergraduate generally requires the NCAA to grant a waiver allowing the athlete to compete immediately. Without it, the athlete would have to sit out for a year at the new school.

Last January, the NCAA implemented stricter guidelines for granting those waivers on a case-by-case basis.

Bailey wrote that the transfer rule “is the exact kind of unreasonable restraint of trade within labor markets that the relevant antitrust laws prohibit” and that the plaintiffs “have a strong likelihood of success.”

The states involved in seeking the restraining order were Colorado, Illinois, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee and West Virginia.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether any of the affected players would try to compete during the 14-day window.

The waiver process has become a source of frustration throughout college sports. Since the rules were changed to allow athletes to transfer one time before graduating and be immediately eligible to compete, some are questioning whether any exceptions should be made for athletes who look to transfer a second time as an undergraduate.

“I’ve served in the men’s basketball aspect of the NCAA for quite some time on some committees and you ask most coaches and they’ll say, ‘We don’t want any waivers. There shouldn’t be any waivers,'” Conference USA Commissioner Judy MacLeod said last week during a panel at the Intercollegiate Athletics Forum in Las Vegas. “But as soon as they get a kid that they want want to get eligible, they’re all for a waiver.”

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

CENTRAL MAINE CC 60, SOUTHERN MAINE CC 57: Destiny Mora Lopez posted 21 points and 12 rebounds, and the Mustangs (11-1) used an 18-7 advantage in the fourth quarter to beat the SeaWolves (8-2) in Auburn.

Rosa Prieto added 10 points, five rebounds and three steals.

Maddy York made five 3-pointers and led SMCC with 17 points. Macey Brown scored 12 points.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

ENDICOTT 105, ST. JOSEPH’S 85: Elijah Kinney recorded 20 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks as the Gulls (6-3) raced past the Monks (3-6) in Beverly, Massachusetts.

John Paul Frazier led St. Joseph’s with 21 points and six rebounds. Wani Donato chipped in with 14 points, Remijo Wani had 12 and Julian Llopiz scored 10.

FOOTBALL

RUTGERS: Greg Schiano, who will be taking Rutgers to its second bowl game since returning as head coach in 2020, has been given a new contract through the 2030 season.

Schiano will be paid $6.25 million next season. He had signed an eight-year deal for $4 million annually when he took over for the 2020 season.

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