By Gemma McHugh, October 20, 2026
Cal Poly Pomona student-athletes could be affected by the Protect College Sports Act, which passed the U.S. Senate Sept. 28 and now awaits action in the House of Representatives, according to S. 4668.
The legislation seeks to establish federal regulations for college athletics, including a five-year eligibility limit for Division I and II athletes, restrictions on transfers without losing eligibility, protections against athletic scholarship reductions, expanded Name, Image and Likeness compensation, athlete eligibility, transfer policies, financial protections and NCAA oversight.
Passing the Senate with a 77-22 vote, the legislation aims to establish nationwide standards for college athletics, replacing certain state regulations governing student-athlete compensation, transfers and eligibility. Currently, college athletics are governed by a combination of state laws, NCAA regulations and federal law.
At Division II schools like CPP, the legislation would protect student athletes’ ability to earn compensation through NIL agreements while prohibiting universities from reducing or revoking athletic scholarships because athletes participate in NIL activities.
CPP athletes already have opportunities to earn NIL compensation, including through an athlete-operated men’s basketball NIL Club that allows supporters to financially contribute to participating players. Unlike Division I programs with larger athletic budgets, CPP primarily offers partial athletic scholarships, making financial protections particularly relevant to its student-athletes.
U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., who co-sponsored the legislation, emailed The Poly Post a statement arguing that existing eligibility rules and transfer policies create instability in college athletics, potentially threatening the future of women’s and Olympic sports.
Schmitt described the current system as an “expensive and unsustainable landscape,” arguing that unrestricted transfers and difficulties enforcing existing regulations could jeopardize opportunities for student-athletes.
Under the proposed legislation, student-athletes would generally be allowed to transfer once between four-year universities without losing eligibility to compete. A second transfer would require athletes to sit out one academic year, with exceptions for circumstances such as a head coaches’ departure, the discontinuation of an athletic program, sexual assault or harassment and transfers to pursue a graduate degree.
The one-transfer limit is intended to prevent athletes and coaching staff from exploiting transfer rules to gain competitive advantages while promoting fairness and stability across college athletic programs, according to Schmitt.
“The bill introduces common-sense provisions like a one-time transfer option and eligibility guardrails so professional athletes can’t come back and take opportunities away from promising young athletes,” Sen. Schmitt said.
Chloe Alchin, vice president of CPP’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and member of the cross-country and track and field teams, said she supports the transfer restrictions, saying one transfer without losing eligibility is reasonable as long as exceptions are available for athletes facing issues within their programs that make additional transfers necessary.
CPP Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Brian Swanson said the Protect College Sports Act could benefit the university by establishing consistent eligibility and transfer regulations, potentially helping CPP retain student-athletes.
Swanson said Division I programs sometimes recruit athletes directly from CPP’s rosters, particularly as NIL compensation creates additional opportunities for athletes to transfer between universities. Under the proposed legislation, athletes who previously transferred to CPP could be required to sit out one academic year if they transferred again to a Division I program, potentially affecting their ability to compete immediately.
“That tends to happen, especially in the era of name, image, and likeness now,” Swanson said. “The Division I’s look at our rosters as places to go to recruit student athletes, instead of just finding their own,”
Swanson acknowledged that transfers also benefit CPP, which he said receives more transfer athletes than it loses. He explained the proposed restrictions could help prevent athletes from repeatedly transferring between universities while preserving opportunities to join CPP’s athletic programs.
Men’s soccer goalkeeper Jack Chapman, who transferred from Sonoma State after three years, acknowledged both the benefits and potential drawbacks of the proposed transfer restrictions.
Chapman said the restrictions could encourage athletes to think more carefully about their long-term commitment to a university. However, he acknowledged that unexpected circumstances could make transferring necessary.
The PCS Act would also establish a five-year eligibility limit for college athletes, creating a consistent timeline for students to complete regardless of whether they redshirt, sit out a season of competition to save a year of athletic eligibility or transfer between universities. The provision is intended to simplify eligibility rules, reduce the need for exceptions and prevent athletes from repeatedly extending their college careers, according to S. 4668.
Alchin, Swanson and Chapman all support the five-year eligibility policy and believe five years provides athletes with sufficient time to complete their collegiate athletic careers.
Swanson said it could reduce the number of waiver requests universities must submit to extend athlete’s eligibility. The change could ease administrative responsibilities, allowing athletic departments to spend less time processing paperwork and more time supporting their student athletes and athletic programs, according to Swanson.
Chapman cited his experience redshirting during his freshman year. Now playing his fifth year of collegiate soccer, he said the additional season has allowed him to continue competing while preparing for a life after college athletics.
“I think five is the perfect number and it, it really just simplifies it,” Chapman said.
Chapman said extending eligibility beyond five years would be unnecessary because athletes eventually need to transition out of college athletics and pursue the next stage of their lives.
Beyond the proposed federal legislation, Alchin said CPP’s SAAC provides athletes with opportunities to participate in the NCAA legislative process by voting on proposed rule changes. According to Alchin, each athletic team can participate in voting on NCAA legislative proposals through the committee, with input advancing to the conference and national levels.
While federal lawmakers consider changes to college athletics, Alchin said SAAC gives student-athletes a way to voice their perspectives on policies directly affecting their athletic careers without relying solely on federal legislation.
Feature image courtesy of CPP Athletics
