BLOOMINGTON — After five-plus hours of testimony, the hearing in the eligibility case involving Indiana football’s Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt ended without a ruling Monday afternoon.
Daley and Wyatt are among a group of student-athletes suing the NCAA in Monroe Circuit Court over its new “five-for-five” eligibility rule that excluded the 2022 high school class. They won an initial temporary restraining order against the organization, but need an injunction to remain on the field.
Advertisement
Judge Kara Krothe gave the attorneys until Thursday to provide the court with final documentation. With the TRO expiring on Monday, Daley and Wyatt will be ineligible to play in Saturday’s game against Western Kentucky without Krothe issuing a ruling.
More: Curt Cignetti spares no one. Not even his star QB, when building championship culture
Daley and Wyatt were among a long list of student-athletes called to testify in a packed courtroom, a group that included IU swimmer Owen McDonald, volleyball player Avry Tatum and men’s basketball player Sam Alexis. Alexis was an unexpected presence in court with him being part of a separate lawsuit seeking eligibility in Tennessee.
He was among the 89 additional athletes added to complaint at the start of Monday’s hearing. He’s since withdrawn his name from the Tennessee case that’s still working its way through court.
Advertisement
The student-athletes highlighted the inconsistency of the NCAA’s previous eligibility rules.
Ryan Downton, the lawyer representing the student-athletes, also called coaches and staff members to the stand, including IU deputy athletic director Stephen Harper, executive director of basketball operations Ryan Carr and director of football operations Blake Jackson.
“I’m grateful that the judge was willing to take so much of her time today,” Downton told The Herald-Times after the hearing. “She gave us five and a half hours for this hearing, very generous of the court’s time. She recognizes the importance of this issue and how much it means to all of these athletes, who’ve traveled to be here, and so we’re very appreciative that she gave us that time and consideration.”
This story will be updated
Advertisement
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana football’s Stephen Daley, Kellan Wyatt have to wait for ruling in eligibility case
