Which Texas Tech athletes benefit from 5-for-5 eligibility? A rundown

[ASFN Admin]

Joey McGuire has long been a proponent of college athletes being given five years to complete their eligibility, working around the previous redshirting rules established by the NCAA.

The Texas Tech football head coach got his wish last week when the Division I Cabinet passed a new rule permitting athletes up to five years of eligibility if they enroll in college no later than the academic year after their 19th birthday, according to the news release.

While those seniors who exhausted their eligibility during the 2025-26 season aren't grandfathered into the new rules, athletes coming back for the 2026-27 year are able to use either the previous rules or the new system, whichever benefits them the most. This is key for a number of Texas Tech athletes this season, especially on the football team.

"The age-based 5-for-5 is huge," McGuire told the Avalanche-Journal. "It's huge, and I'm glad they did it."

Here's a rundown of Texas Tech's biggest athletic team rosters, showing which players would be eligible for an additional year, with the number of years of eligibility they have available starting in the 2026-27 academic year in parentheses.

Texas Tech football​

This is not the full Texas Tech roster; rather, it is a mixture of the most notable players entering the 2026 season and the current freshman crop.

Eligible players: Tristian Gentry (4), Micah Hudson (3), Charles Anderson (3), J'Koby Williams (3), Cash Cleveland (3), Cameron Dickey (2), Brenden Jordan (2), Brice Pollock (2), Kenny Johnson (2), Austin Romaine (2),

Ineligible players: Amier Boyd (3 played, 1 redshirt), Terrence Carter (3 played, 1 redshirt), John Curry (2 played, 1 redshirt), Coy Eakin (3 played, 1 redshirt); A.J Holmes (3 played, 1 redshirt); Ben Roberts (3 played, 1 redshirt); Howard Sampson (3 played, 1 redshirt), Quinten Joyner (2 played, 1 redshirt); Sheridan Wilson (3 played, 1 redshirt); Julen Laventure (3 years played, 1 redshirt); Jalen Jones (2 years played, 1 redshirt); Adam Trick (3 played, 1 redshirt)

Incoming freshmen with 5 years: Felix Ojo, LaDamion Guyton, Chase Campbell, Kaegan Asha, Aaron Bradshaw, Stephen Cannon, Jacob Crow, Bryce Gilmore, Luke Hamilton, Imari Jehiel, Ayden Johnson, Krush Johnson, Noah Lewis, Dearcus Marks, S'Vioarean Martin, Jerald Mays, Cord Nolan, Maddox Quiller, Ashton Rowden, Donovan Webb

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Texas Tech men's basketball​

Eligible players: JT Toppin (2), Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (2), Josiah Moseley (3), Damarion Dennis (3), Marial Akuentok (3), LaTrell Hoover (4),

Ineligible players: Cruz Davis (3 years played, 1 redshirt year)

Incoming freshmen with 5 years: DaKari Spear, Trey Hall, Amari Barrett

Texas Tech softball​

Eligible players: Kaitlyn Terry (2), Mia Williams (2), Moriah Polar (2), Kasidi Pickering (2), Jaysoni Beachum (2), Jasmyn Burns (2), Lagi Quiroga (2), Logan Halleman (2), Hailey Toney (3), Hailey Maestretti (3), Jayden Heavener (3), Zoie Bernard (4), Bradi Gallaway (4),

Ineligible players: Lauren Allred (3 years played, 1 redshirt); Alana Johnson (3 years played, 1 redshirt); Taylor Pannell (3 years played, 1 redshirt)

Incoming freshmen with 5 years: Ariel Arambula, Avery Howerton, Braelynn Jones, Sydona Meiser, Amaya Del Olmo, Hagen Walker

Texas Tech women's basketball​

Note: Some clarity is needed on a few of the new incomers for the Lady Raiders, who spent time playing below the Division I level

Eligible players: Jalynn Bristow (2), Rhema Collins (2)

Incoming freshmen with 5 years: Milania Jordan, Gianna Jordan, Natalia Jordan, Jayda Kearney, Ambrosia Cole, Moriyah Douglass

To be determined: Stephanie Okechukwu; Destinee Hooks; Jalayah Ingram; Kiki Smith, Tahys Da Silva

Don Williams of the Avalanche-Journal contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Which Texas Tech athletes benefit from 5-for-5 eligibility? A rundown

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