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Jul. 24—GRAND FORKS — Jonnie Wiltshire's hopes of playing UND football in 2026 have taken the first step forward.
Wiltshire was granted a temporary restraining order in Grand Forks County District Court, approved by Judge Kristi Venhuizen on Thursday.
"There are appropriate injunction grounds and a clear need for immediate relief in this matter," court documents state. "Plaintiff, who is seeking an additional year of eligibility to play Division I intercollegiate football at the University of North Dakota, risks permanent loss of the opportunity to do so if he is not permitted to begin fall practice with the team, just days from now, on July 28, 2026."
Court documents further state the NCAA is temporarily restrained from enforcing a July 1 denial of Wiltshire's eligibility waiver request submitted by UND. Court documents say the NCAA is prohibited from preventing Wiltshire's ability to "practice, train, participate, compete, or otherwise engage in intercollegiate football activities at the University of North Dakota during the pendency of this order."
A hearing on the motion for preliminary injunction is scheduled for Aug. 14 at 1:30 p.m. at the Grand Forks County Courthouse.
Wiltshire, of Woodbridge, Va., had a breakout season in 2025 in his second year in Grand Forks. Playing a nickel position in new head coach Eric Schmidt's 4-2-5 defense, the Dodge City Community College transfer picked off three passes and added 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. He was named all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honorable mention.
The UND football team is scheduled to report to fall camp July 28, with the first practice coming July 29.
The Fighting Hawks open the season Aug. 27 against Long Island at the Alerus Center.
Another member of UND's secondary, Avery Scott, is also seeking an eligibility waiver to play in 2026. The status of his case remains unknown.
At the Missouri Valley Football Conference Media Day event in Sioux Falls earlier this month, Schmidt was asked about the status of eligibility waivers.
"We just want to give them an opportunity, yes or no, so that they can either move on or be able to play here," Schmidt said. "You get to this point in July, and you're still waiting to see what's going to happen. It's really something that I feel bad about for them. They've been waiting and working on their own and just trying to get a decision here moving forward."
Continue reading...
Wiltshire was granted a temporary restraining order in Grand Forks County District Court, approved by Judge Kristi Venhuizen on Thursday.
"There are appropriate injunction grounds and a clear need for immediate relief in this matter," court documents state. "Plaintiff, who is seeking an additional year of eligibility to play Division I intercollegiate football at the University of North Dakota, risks permanent loss of the opportunity to do so if he is not permitted to begin fall practice with the team, just days from now, on July 28, 2026."
Court documents further state the NCAA is temporarily restrained from enforcing a July 1 denial of Wiltshire's eligibility waiver request submitted by UND. Court documents say the NCAA is prohibited from preventing Wiltshire's ability to "practice, train, participate, compete, or otherwise engage in intercollegiate football activities at the University of North Dakota during the pendency of this order."
A hearing on the motion for preliminary injunction is scheduled for Aug. 14 at 1:30 p.m. at the Grand Forks County Courthouse.
Wiltshire, of Woodbridge, Va., had a breakout season in 2025 in his second year in Grand Forks. Playing a nickel position in new head coach Eric Schmidt's 4-2-5 defense, the Dodge City Community College transfer picked off three passes and added 8.5 tackles for loss and 4.0 sacks. He was named all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honorable mention.
The UND football team is scheduled to report to fall camp July 28, with the first practice coming July 29.
The Fighting Hawks open the season Aug. 27 against Long Island at the Alerus Center.
Another member of UND's secondary, Avery Scott, is also seeking an eligibility waiver to play in 2026. The status of his case remains unknown.
At the Missouri Valley Football Conference Media Day event in Sioux Falls earlier this month, Schmidt was asked about the status of eligibility waivers.
"We just want to give them an opportunity, yes or no, so that they can either move on or be able to play here," Schmidt said. "You get to this point in July, and you're still waiting to see what's going to happen. It's really something that I feel bad about for them. They've been waiting and working on their own and just trying to get a decision here moving forward."
Continue reading...
