Ohio Order Allows Fifth Year of Eligibility for Some College Athletes
Ohio's governor has signed an executive order allowing state colleges and universities to grant a fifth year of eligibility to athletes who graduated from high school in 2022.
Peoria Bloomington, IL, October 13, 2026 —
Ohio’s governor has signed an executive order allowing state colleges and universities to grant a fifth year of eligibility to athletes who graduated from high school in 2022.
The order gives state institutions permission to extend eligibility for athletes in that graduating class. The summary of the order does not say that schools must grant the additional year, and it does not specify how institutions will decide whether an athlete qualifies.
Key details were not provided, including the governor’s name, the date the order was signed, the order’s effective date and the number of athletes who could be affected. The summary also does not identify the colleges and universities covered by the measure or explain how the additional eligibility period would be applied.
No information was provided about the order’s relationship to any other eligibility rules, or whether athletes would need to meet further conditions to receive a fifth year. The summary does not describe responses from schools, athletes or other organizations.
The measure, as described, applies to athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 and concerns eligibility at Ohio state colleges and universities. Further details about its implementation were not included in the information provided.
Story summarized from the original created by EDDIE PELLS and ALANIS THAMES, Associated Press on www.centralillinoisproud.com, see more information here.
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