The NCAA has been debating a one-time transfer rule that will allow college football and basketball players to move schools and be immediately eligible for years. While the overarching rule remains in flux, the ACC announced a decision that could dramatically accelerate the process for its athletes. The conference on Monday announced the elimination of its intraconference transfer rule, paving the way for players to move within the league without having to sit out for a full season.
"The time has come for all student-athletes to have the opportunity to transfer and be permitted to compete immediately," said first-year ACC commissioner Jim Phillips. "This decision is in the best interest of our student-athletes as it allows greater flexibility during their collegiate career."
The decision, which was unanimously approved by the ACC Board of Directors, reverses the previous rule which mandated that players sit out for two full academic semesters or three full quarters before regaining athletic eligibility.
The NCAA Division I council tabled a national one-time transfer proposal in January. Even though the vote was delayed, the organization still has the issue on its radar and is likely to focus heavily on it in the coming months.
Could the ACC's decision serve as the snowball effect and force other conferences -- and perhaps the NCAA -- to speed up their decision-making processes? That remains to be seen. It certainly seems like college athletics is in the midst of a massive landscape change that, at the very least, will include greater flexibility for players to do what they feel is necessary to further their academic and athletic careers.
