Welcome to the legal corner of the world… again. Today saw two massive decisions out of Ohio and then Kentucky. Here’s what it means:
MJ Collins, Filip Borovicanin, Seth Trimble, LJ Wells, Alex Afari, and a couple dozen more guys are ineligible to play right now.
Borovicanin v. NCAA (OH):
The First District Court of Appeals reversed the preliminary Injunction that had been previously granted. “Based on the foregoing, we hold that the trial court abused its discretion in granting the plantiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction” they later say “The parties remain free to introduce additional evidence and supplement the record at a hearing on the merits”.
Sansom Sports Media has confirmed that this is not the end of the process here, and there will be more movement soon in this case.
Filip Borovicanin, MJ Collins, Malik Messina-Moore, Kolby King, Javon Bennett, Chevalier Emery Jr., Jalen Quinn, Savannah White, Donovan Brown, Christian Henry, Ziare Wells, Cristian Carroll, Shawn Phillips Jr., Caden Powell, Josh Reed, Evan Mahaffey.
Wells v. NCAA (KY):
This case was dissolved today at the Kentucky Court of Appeals. That means that the case is no longer granting the players legibility and has officially been overturned. The full opinion is below. For Louisville, this includes LJ Wells and Seth Trimble. Mark Mitchell is now ineligible, and for our local guys, Donovan Oday is also ineligible now. In football news, Alex Afari and Thomas Castellanos are ineligible. Nationally, this includes guys like Colin Porter (Liberty), and Skyy Clark (LSU)
LEVAVIUM WELLS, III; ALBERTVARGAS FRITO; COLIN PORTER; D’ANGELO HUTCHINSON; DONOVAN ODAY; FRED KING; JABARI MACK; JUSTIN ALLEN; KAYDEN CAMPBELL; MARK MITCHELL; THOMAS CASTELLANOS; BILLY SMITH; SKYY CLARK; SETH TRIMBLE; REESE RAGLAND; JAYLEN WESTER; RYLEN SU’A-FILO; MACKAVELLI MALOTUMAU; JOSIE GILVIN; JAWAUN NORTHINGTON; CLAUDIA HOFMEISTER; LEVI SANDIDGE; MACY WHISENAND; CARDELL BAILEY; DAMONI HARRISON; EMMANUEL OKORAFOR; GARRETT HELSEL; JALYN BROWN; KATIE FICHTNER; KRISTINA PAEGLE; ORLANDO LOVEJOY; REGAN DANCER; OLIVIA ALBERT; AIDAN HADAWAY; CAZEEM MOORE; ZOE HAMMOND; SOPHIE HARLAN; AND ALEX AFARI, JR
Read the full Kentucky Court of Appeals opinion (PDF)
This case affects every single program within the scope of the Sansom Sports Media team, and it’s something that is actively ongoing and will evolve further before the end of the year. For now, these players are all ineligible.
Editorial Note: There is no reason that this should be settled state-to-state. There should be one, central suit that decides the merits, and it should be decided within the next month. Will we get that? No. However, this back and forth is absurd, and and is taking away from what promises to be an amazing season of college basketball and football!