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High school athletes in New Mexico will now be able to transfer schools once without penalty, the New Mexico Activities Association announced Monday, June 22.
Any subsequent transfers will carry the state’s previous transfer penalty, which includes sitting out for a year of varsity competition at their destination school. There are exceptions for circumstances like residence changes or discontinued programs.
The new rule passed in a tight, 67-60 vote by NMAA member schools after having been approved by the NMAA Commission and the NMAA Board of Directors in recent weeks. It will go into effect during the 2026-27 school year.
“This change reflects the membership’s desire to provide students and families with greater flexibility while maintaining the safeguards that protect the integrity of interscholastic activities,” said NMAA executive director Dusty Young in a press release about the change.
New Mexico will also be cracking down on recruiting violations as part of their updated rulebook, doubling their first-time fine for schools and third parties that have an “undue influence” on transferring athletes from $2,500 to $5,000.
The rule change comes at a time where high school athletic transfers are becoming both more common and more controversial. Some states, like Tennessee, have recently loosened penalties for transferring high school athletes, while others, including athletics-heavy Texas, have been cracking down on high-profile athletic transfers.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Mexico takes away transfer penalty for high school athletes
Continue reading...
Any subsequent transfers will carry the state’s previous transfer penalty, which includes sitting out for a year of varsity competition at their destination school. There are exceptions for circumstances like residence changes or discontinued programs.
NMAA ELIGIBILITY CHANGES TO GO INTO EFFECT FOR 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR
Starting with the 2026-2027 school year, students may now transfer schools without penalty and be immediately eligible at the school of their choice on a first transfer
(more)https://t.co/E3IM2zNpqLpic.twitter.com/mpRNrmFJnx
— NMAA (@_NMAA) June 22, 2026
The new rule passed in a tight, 67-60 vote by NMAA member schools after having been approved by the NMAA Commission and the NMAA Board of Directors in recent weeks. It will go into effect during the 2026-27 school year.
“This change reflects the membership’s desire to provide students and families with greater flexibility while maintaining the safeguards that protect the integrity of interscholastic activities,” said NMAA executive director Dusty Young in a press release about the change.
New Mexico will also be cracking down on recruiting violations as part of their updated rulebook, doubling their first-time fine for schools and third parties that have an “undue influence” on transferring athletes from $2,500 to $5,000.
The rule change comes at a time where high school athletic transfers are becoming both more common and more controversial. Some states, like Tennessee, have recently loosened penalties for transferring high school athletes, while others, including athletics-heavy Texas, have been cracking down on high-profile athletic transfers.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Mexico takes away transfer penalty for high school athletes
Continue reading...
