Gophers wing Cade Tyson remains ineligible to play this season after a decision handed down Friday by a federal appeals court.
With the ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Denver, Tyson is expected to seek another avenue to gain eligibility for the 2026-27 season, perhaps in state court. As Minnesota’s leading scorer last season, Tyson is enrolled at the U, practicing with the men’s basketball team and is eager to play as their season started this week.
“We are evaluating all options,” a source on Tyson’s legal team text the Pioneer Press on Friday.
Gophers Athletics Director Mark Coyle alluded to potential next steps two weeks ago.
“There’s always levers to pull,” Coyle said on KFXN-FM on Oct. 24. “I don’t know what Cade and his attorneys are thinking from that standpoint (of next steps). But there are always different levers that you can pull. Obviously, he is a part of a federal case and can become part of a state case.”
Tyson is a member of the Class of 2022, which the NCAA denied inclusion in its new five-for-five eligibility rule to allow players five years to play five seasons.
According to court documents, a three-judge panel on Friday vacated an injunction that allowed the claimants a fifth year of eligibility this year. In conclusion, the judges said the antitrust argument did not define the “relative market.”
In August, Judge Charlotte Sweeney granted a preliminary injunction that initially allowed these players in the class of 2022 to have a fifth year of eligibility this season.In late August, the NCAA received a stay to the court’s injunction, making the players ineligible.
In October, the three-judge court of appeals panel appeared to lean toward the NCAA during oral arguments. Friday’s judgment is in response to the October hearing.
Many players across the nation have gained a fifth year of eligibility via a variety of courts, including a handful of players in the Big Ten. The nationwide list includes Cincinnati guard MJ Collins, who is averaging 13.5 points across two games this season. The U plays at Cincinnati in a high-major nonconference game Monday.
Gophers coach Niko Medved has been critical of the NCAA’s stringent stance to fight these eligibility efforts. “I think the best decision they could make in a bad circumstance right now is to let these guys play,” Medved said in October.
Medved said the hodgepodge of decisions nationwide can have drastic affects on the success of teams this year.
“Basically, fate (of) your season, or maybe going to the NCAA tournament, depends on having a friendly judge? It’s embarrassing,” Medved said last month.
Tyson averaged 19 points per game for the Gophers last season.