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CHICAGO – Kelly Sheffield did not leave any ambiguity about his stance on the NCAA’s new five-year eligibility model.
“I’ve been an advocate for this for a long time,” the 14th-year Wisconsin volleyball coach said. “I don’t know why it’s taken us so long. … Getting rid of waivers and lawsuits and all those things is something that we should all be striving for.”
From an academic standpoint, an athlete’s opportunity to pursue a master’s degree can be a “game-changer” in Sheffield’s eyes. Plenty of Sheffield’s counterparts elsewhere in the Big Ten are fans of it as well.
USC’s Brad Keller sees it as an extended opportunity to “really grow as a human, No. 1, but also possibly get master programs, things like that.” Washington’s Leslie Gabriel thinks of it as one more year of the “best years of your life.”
At the same time, it creates undeniable uncertainty as the Badgers – and their peers in Los Angeles, Seattle and seemingly everywhere else – plan ahead for future roster construction.
UW does not have any traditional seniors. UW’s juniors – the ones who have not redshirted – could theoretically play for three more years instead of two. The sophomores could play for four more years instead of three. The freshmen have a five-year clock without having to redshirt.
But just because players can stay at Wisconsin for an extra year under the NCAA’s eligibility model does not necessarily mean that they will do so.
“It's going to be complicated for roster building, just of not knowing,” Sheffield said during his Big Ten volleyball media day press conference. “I'm not interested in especially with the roster limits of telling somebody at the last minute, ‘Hey, we had a change over here, so we can't do this.’”
Sheffield “lightly began those conversations” with athletes about whether they might plan to use the fifth year of eligibility.
“We've had a little bit of, ‘Hey, let's get this on the radar,’” Sheffield said. “This has been something that's changed. We can punt this for down the road if you want to. No big deal, or we can discuss it whenever it is on your timeline.”
Wisconsin’s patient approach to the conversations coincides with a recruiting timeline that has historically been quite forward-looking. June 15 of this year was the first day when coaches could contact 2028 recruits, and that point in the calendar for 2029 recruits looms 10-plus months.
At the same time, the five-in-five model is only one piece of the roster uncertainty that can change more quickly than the high school recruiting cycle usually moves. UW lost six players via the transfer portal after the 2025 season alone.
More: Wisconsin volleyball closer to full strength as Grace Lopez, Egan recover
“The commitments are happening two years in advance of when they show up on campus,” Sheffield said. “Which means that you’re having those conversations about possibly NIL and rev share as well – and roster, what does that look like? … You’ve got four portal windows by the time they commit to the time they get here. It’s Looney Tunes.”
The whole five-in-five model could change, too, in the meantime. Just ask another one of Sheffield’s counterparts.
“I think by the time we leave this room, the rule is going to change again,” Penn State’s Katie Schumacher-Cawley said.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: NCAA's five-in-five can be 'game-changer' for Wisconsin volleyball, others
Continue reading...
“I’ve been an advocate for this for a long time,” the 14th-year Wisconsin volleyball coach said. “I don’t know why it’s taken us so long. … Getting rid of waivers and lawsuits and all those things is something that we should all be striving for.”
From an academic standpoint, an athlete’s opportunity to pursue a master’s degree can be a “game-changer” in Sheffield’s eyes. Plenty of Sheffield’s counterparts elsewhere in the Big Ten are fans of it as well.
USC’s Brad Keller sees it as an extended opportunity to “really grow as a human, No. 1, but also possibly get master programs, things like that.” Washington’s Leslie Gabriel thinks of it as one more year of the “best years of your life.”
At the same time, it creates undeniable uncertainty as the Badgers – and their peers in Los Angeles, Seattle and seemingly everywhere else – plan ahead for future roster construction.
UW does not have any traditional seniors. UW’s juniors – the ones who have not redshirted – could theoretically play for three more years instead of two. The sophomores could play for four more years instead of three. The freshmen have a five-year clock without having to redshirt.
But just because players can stay at Wisconsin for an extra year under the NCAA’s eligibility model does not necessarily mean that they will do so.
“It's going to be complicated for roster building, just of not knowing,” Sheffield said during his Big Ten volleyball media day press conference. “I'm not interested in especially with the roster limits of telling somebody at the last minute, ‘Hey, we had a change over here, so we can't do this.’”
Sheffield “lightly began those conversations” with athletes about whether they might plan to use the fifth year of eligibility.
“We've had a little bit of, ‘Hey, let's get this on the radar,’” Sheffield said. “This has been something that's changed. We can punt this for down the road if you want to. No big deal, or we can discuss it whenever it is on your timeline.”
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Wisconsin’s patient approach to the conversations coincides with a recruiting timeline that has historically been quite forward-looking. June 15 of this year was the first day when coaches could contact 2028 recruits, and that point in the calendar for 2029 recruits looms 10-plus months.
At the same time, the five-in-five model is only one piece of the roster uncertainty that can change more quickly than the high school recruiting cycle usually moves. UW lost six players via the transfer portal after the 2025 season alone.
More: Wisconsin volleyball closer to full strength as Grace Lopez, Egan recover
“The commitments are happening two years in advance of when they show up on campus,” Sheffield said. “Which means that you’re having those conversations about possibly NIL and rev share as well – and roster, what does that look like? … You’ve got four portal windows by the time they commit to the time they get here. It’s Looney Tunes.”
The whole five-in-five model could change, too, in the meantime. Just ask another one of Sheffield’s counterparts.
“I think by the time we leave this room, the rule is going to change again,” Penn State’s Katie Schumacher-Cawley said.
You must be registered for see images
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: NCAA's five-in-five can be 'game-changer' for Wisconsin volleyball, others
Continue reading...
