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Utah basketball transfer Trey Campbell sues NCAA, seeking fifth year of eligibility
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- Utah basketball transfer Trey Campbell sues NCAA, seeking fifth year of eligibility
(IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Utah Utes basketball transfer point guard Trey Campbell has sued the NCAA for a fifth year of eligibility, according to a report by the Salt Lake Tribune .
The court documents filed in Utah's Business and Chancery Court on Sept. 17 detail Campbell's desire to continue his collegiate career with the Runnin' Utes. After transferring from Northern Iowa, the guard would be one of the biggest impact players for Alex Jensen and his staff in Salt Lake City.
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Campbell averaged 10.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game with the Panthers last season. Northern Iowa advanced to the NCAA tournament, earning a No. 12 seed in the East Region before falling 79-53 to fifth-seeded St. John's in the opening round.
"He is enrolled at the University of Utah and rostered on its men's basketball team," the lawsuit states. "The only thing standing in the way of Campbell's final season is the NCAA's decision to deny him the eligibility he rightfully has under the NCAA's current bylaws."
What's interesting about Campbell's lawsuit is it calls for no punishment from the NCAA towards Utah for playing him. This would effectively wipe out any attempt by the NCAA to rebuttal with their own subsequent ruling.
Campbell's lawsuit is one of many cases recently filed against the NCAA in courtrooms across the country. Every player is challenging the new five-for-five rule, which allows college athletes five years of eligibility. This applies to the 2022 recruiting class and was initially brought on by several predating lawsuits, including the one by Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. While the one by the Heisman runner-up failed in court, many others have succeeded in gaining eligibility.
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Most of the actions brought forth in court have been in the form of a class action suit. A majority of rulings have granted players a temporary restraining order. There are a few who have called for a stay in the case. There has been no consistency across the board, setting up an eventual challenge at the U.S. Supreme Court. That would depend on if the court is willing to hear arguments.
Campbell's suit claims that the NCAA "breached its bylaws by not granting the 2022 recruiting class the additional fifth year of eligibility after changing its eligibility rules."
If Campbell is successful in court, the NCAA would be barred from penalizing or sanctioning Utah basketball for putting him on the roster. He would also be able to enjoy the entire benefits, such as NIL funding via revenue-sharing payments or outside deals. It's unclear if there will be a ruling before the start of the season.
Utah basketball's first exhibition is weeks away on Oct. 7 against UNLV. The Runnin' Utes' first regular season game is against Long Beach State on Nov. 7.
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