West Virginia Press Association
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia ordered the 14-day temporary restraining order against the NCAA be extended to allow student-athletes burdened by the association’s transfer rule to play through the winter and spring sports seasons.
“This is a great day for student athletes—they will finally be able to compete in the sport they love,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “It’s the right thing to do and I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome.”
Because the temporary restraining order will now remain in place until the court decides on the merits of the case, the district court also vacated the Dec. 27 preliminary injunction hearing.
The order came in Monday.
The court previously granted a 14-day restraining order against the NCAA, barring the association from enforcing its transfer rule.
Attorney General Morrisey, working with an Ohio-led bipartisan coalition of seven states, sued the NCAA, challenging its Transfer Eligibility Rule. The lawsuit was filed following the NCAA’s decision to deny RaeQuan Battle a transfer waiver so he can play basketball for West Virginia University.
“I hope this is the beginning of real change within the NCAA,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “We have to put the well-being of student athletes—physical, mental, academic and emotional—first. The NCAA needs to enact consistent, logical and defensible rules that are fair and equitable for everyone.”
Read a copy of the order: https://bit.ly/3TwjTkH.
