NCAA says waiver denials to 2-time transfers product of new policy - ESPN

The NCAA said Wednesday it has begun applying new criteria to two-time transfers that makes it more difficult to gain immediate eligibility, a day after Florida State defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr. and North Carolina receiver Devontez Walker had their waivers rejected.

In a statement to ESPN, the NCAA said, «On January 11, the Division I Council — which includes a voting representative from each Division I conference — voted unanimously to significantly tighten the criteria for undergraduate students who transfer for a second time to be granted a waiver to play immediately.

»As a result of the DI Council vote, multiple-time transfers who cannot demonstrate and adequately document a personal need for medical or safety reasons to depart the previous school are not eligible to compete immediately following their second undergraduate transfer. National office staff, at the direction of NCAA members, have begun applying those criteria for multiple-time transfers for the 2023-24 academic year."

Both Jackson and Walker are two-time transfers and say they changed schools to be closer to ailing family members. Both players transferred believing they would have their waiver approved based on previous guidelines, which did take into account family circumstances.

In a statement Tuesday, Walker said, «When I made the decision to transfer from Kent St. back to my home area at UNC, I did so thinking I would be able to play this year. The way the rules were set up at the time, we knew we'd have to file a waiver as a two-time transfer, and in previous years, those waivers were being granted.»

Walker began his career at NC Central but never played there after both the fall and spring seasons were canceled because of the COVID-19