On Wednesday, the NCAA Division I Cabinet approved several adjustments to the transfer portal, focusing primarily on men’s and women’s basketball.
These changes redefine when players can officially inform schools of their desire to transfer, with the goal of better synchronizing roster changes with the end of the season and coaching transitions.
Moving forward, the transfer window for men’s and women’s basketball will open for a 15-day period starting the day after the national championship game in each sport.
This update takes effect right away and signifies a significant change, as it eliminates the overlap of portal activity with postseason play. By linking the transfer window directly to the end of the NCAA tournament, the Cabinet aims to introduce more structure and predictability during one of the most unpredictable times in the college basketball season.
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Additionally, the policy clarifies how changes in head coaching impact transfer timelines. When a new head coach is hired or publicly announced, a separate 15-day transfer window will commence five days later. If a program goes 30 days without naming a replacement after a head coach leaves, and this period extends beyond the championship game, a 15-day window will then open.
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One rule remains the same: midyear basketball transfers are still ineligible to compete at a second school if they enrolled at an NCAA institution during the first academic term, regardless of whether they played in any games. While other sports were also impacted, the changes in basketball represent the most immediate and significant effects of the Cabinet’s decision. No changes were made to college football during the session on Wednesday.
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