The eventual end of the Brendan Sorsby gambling case gave the NCAA a brief sense of relief, but that would not last long. The governing body would be back in court again anytime soon, as it has been slammed with another lawsuit by a UNLV athlete seeking another year of eligibility.

Per Outkick’s Trey Wallace, UNLV defensive lineman Cohen Fuller has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in a Nevada district court. In the suit, he is seeking a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction to prevent the NCAA from enforcing any eligibility restrictions in the 2026 season.

Fuller began his collegiate career four seasons ago but did not join an NCAA program until 2024. Fuller had his freshman season at Graceland University, an NAIA school in Lamoni, Iowa. After a decent season there, he joined El Camino College, a junior college that competes in the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA), for his sophomore season.

His journey in the FBS began in 2024, when he transferred from a junior college to Coastal Carolina. He then transferred to the UNLV Rebels in the 2025 transfer portal to play his senior season. Having completed his four-year stay in college, the NCAA deems him ineligible for an additional year.

But with the suit, Fuller insists that the NCAA should not count his first two seasons at JUCO and NAIA programs. In this case, the defensive lineman would be playing his third season in the NCAA in 2026, and deserves at least an additional year of eligibility. Ahead of the 2026 season, which is still under contention, he has been named to the 2026 Preseason All-Mountain West Fourth Team by Phil Steele.

The suit noted the transition from the four-in-five system, in which athletes must complete four seasons of competition in five years, to the new five-in-five system, in which athletes can complete five seasons of competition in five years. The transition came about due a the ineffectiveness of the former system and the complications surrounding it. Hence, it questions why Fuller would be denied an additional year of eligibility due to a rule that was replaced because it was not good enough. If there is a new rule, then Fuller should be held by that standard, the suit argues.

The new age-based five-year eligibility model

The NCAA replaced the four-in-five eligibility model with a new age-based model just last week, following a meeting of the NCAA Division I Cabinet. It was implemented to curb the numerous eligibility lawsuits the NCAA has had to defend in recent months.

However, the rule does not apply to all college athletes. Student-athletes whose eligibility would be over after the 2026 season would have no additional year. For those whose eligibility extends beyond the 2026 season, they are free to use either the previous model or the new one, whichever best suits them. But the new model would be used exclusively for all prospects joining the 2027 class.

The age-based model means the eligibility clock for college athletes starts ticking once they enroll full-time in college or turn 19, whichever comes first. There would be no more waivers for whatever reason, except for religious missions, maternity leave, or active-duty military service.