By Raychael Moseley / Managing Editor

The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) is considering a proposal that would allow student-athletes to compete for five seasons instead of four, a change that could affect recruiting, scholarships and athletic programs at Missouri Valley University.

The proposal, developed by the NAIA’s Path Forward Task Force, would give athletes an additional season of competition while potentially changing how schools manage eligibility and team rosters.

Under the current system, NAIA athletes are generally limited to four seasons of competition within 10 terms of attendance. The proposed change would expand that opportunity to five seasons, potentially beginning with the 2027-28 academic year.

The NAIA Council of Presidents considered the proposal Sept. 28, with a full membership vote scheduled for Nov. 4.

MVU women’s wrestling coach Beau Vest supports the potential change, particularly as other collegiate athletic programs move toward expanded eligibility.

“I support the change,” Vest said. “NCAA division 1 and 2 both adopted. If we chose to only allow 4 seasons while other divisions offer the possibility of 5, we would damage the ability to recruit top talent.”

Vest said the additional season could benefit Valley’s wrestling program because of its strong athlete retention.

“Our program has a very high retention so I believe it will benefit us,” Vest said.

Wrestling is a sport in which athletes often need time to develop physically and adjust to collegiate competition.

“Many Student-Athletes directly out of high school need a year plus to adjust and really start to develop,” Vest said. “The extra year I believe will raise the level of competition in the NAIA.”

The potential change has received significant support across the NAIA.

According to a national survey conducted by the association, 84% of 1,874 responding members supported expanding eligibility to five seasons, while 10% preferred keeping the current four-season model.

A separate survey of 6,566 student-athletes found that 70% supported the proposed change, while 14% preferred the current system.

Among student-athletes who answered a question about the benefits of additional eligibility, 85% identified having more time to compete as a reason they valued the change.

Women’s wrestler Janessa Avilla supports the proposal and believes it could help student-athletes develop both athletically and academically.

“I think it’s a great opportunity for athletes,” Avilla said. “I think it helps rosters become more competitive too because coaches won’t have to sit their good athletes out for a year.”

Athletes are sometimes redshirted, meaning they sit out a season of competition to preserve eligibility. Avilla believes allowing a fifth season could reduce the need for that practice.

She also sees the additional year as an opportunity for athletes to continue their education beyond a bachelor’s degree.

“I think it opens up opportunities for athletes to want to go into a masters program or get a higher degree in general,” she said. “I honestly think it doesn’t only encourage athletic longevity but also academics.”

The NAIA’s student-athlete survey reflected similar interests. Among respondents who indicated how they would most likely use a fifth season, 53% selected obtaining a graduate degree.

However, expanding eligibility could also create challenges for incoming freshmen, who may have to compete against more experienced athletes for positions on team rosters.

“It will be harder for a freshman to come in and push out a returner,” Vest said. “I think that will be true across all divisions.”

Vest said the proposal could also affect scholarships, roster sizes and recruiting decisions, particularly for programs that already retain a large percentage of their athletes.

“With high retention and an additional year that means larger rosters or less new guys,” Vest said. “The thought obviously is that the new ones we keep will be improving.”

The transition could also require universities to adjust how they handle undergraduate and graduate athletes who choose to compete for an additional season.

“The roster adjustments will be interesting and the first year will be challenging,” Vest said.

Vest said some of his current athletes could directly benefit from the proposed change next year, while others are interested in understanding how the new eligibility structure could affect their remaining seasons.

The proposal has also drawn support from athletes outside traditional varsity sports.

Valley cheerleader Logan Gosney said the additional eligibility could help student-athletes continue improving throughout their college careers.

“I like the potential new 5th year eligibility because it allows student athletes to continue growing in their sports,” Gosney said.

Under the NAIA’s preliminary plan, student-athletes who entered the 2026-27 academic year with remaining eligibility could potentially take advantage of the additional season beginning in 2027-28. Athletes who had already exhausted their eligibility before the current academic year would not qualify.

If approved, the proposal could mark a significant change in NAIA athletics, giving student-athletes more time to compete while requiring universities to reconsider how they recruit, retain and support their athletes.