NCAA appears set to alter age-based eligibility upon hockey world's request

Jun. 5—GRAND FORKS — The NCAA has, once again, changed course on age-based eligibility.

The latest proposal has much of the hockey world celebrating.

The NCAA sent out a memo Friday, revealing it is poised to follow the hockey world’s recommendation that athletes’ five-year clocks begin either upon college enrollment or the semester following their 19th birthday.

This is what nearly every segment of the hockey world proposed in a letter to the NCAA two weeks ago.

Among those signing onto it: Every NCAA men’s hockey commissioner, junior league commissioners in the United States and Canada, and the NHL.

“On behalf of the entire ice hockey community, we are grateful to the NCAA Division I Cabinet for their willingness to consider and support our counter-proposal on age eligibility,” Hockey East commissioner Steve Metcalf said.

National Collegiate Hockey Conference commissioner Heather Weems said she was pleased, too.

“The NCAA’s announcement today was a big win for college hockey and our partners who comprise the pathway,” Weems said. “It was truly a team effort to build consensus and generate support from other sports. It was a great Friday afternoon outcome.”

The previous iteration would have started athletes’ five-year clocks upon high school graduation. That would have been a major change for men’s hockey, which is one of three sports where players are allowed to defer college enrollment for up to three years after high school graduation. The other sports that allow three-year deferrals are men’s and women’s skiing.

All other NCAA sports allow one-year deferrals.

“The adjustment follows recommendations from stakeholders in men’s ice hockey, men’s basketball and the U.S. national service academies,” the NCAA said in a release.

Player agents were among those celebrating the new proposal.

“That’s so huge,” one agent told the Herald.

“Thank God,” another said.