NCAA D1 board approves expanded student-athlete benefits; to revisit ‘transfer window’ proposal

The NCAA on Wednesday announced that its Division 1 Board of Directors has approved a series of recommendations related to various student-athlete benefits.

Under the new guidelines, which take effect immediately, D-1 universities will now have the green light to “(provide) support needed for a student-athlete’s personal health, safety and well-being”, per a release. Part of that includes the ability to supply insurance for student-athletes in the case of injury, as well as funding for “elite-level training” opportunities.

While the D-1 board approved an expanded benefit range, it did not yet approve a recommended “transfer package”, which would, in part, require student-athletes to provide (in writing) an intent to transfer within a 60-day time period starting the day after NCAA tournament selections for winter and spring sports (primarily basketball) and within a 45-day period beginning the day after NCAA tournament sections for fall sports (including football), plus a 2nd time period between May 1-15.

However, the Student Athlete Advisory Committee pushed back on the proposal, calling it “restrictive”, while University of Georgia president Jere Morehead, the chair of the D-1 Board of Directors, expressed concerns over how NIL would fuel the transfer process while stating that the board would take up the issue again on Aug. 31.

“We want further analysis on that issue and its potential impact on graduation rates before taking action,” he said.

Sydney Hunte