Male category open to all eligible student-athletes, female category reserved for student-athletes assigned female at birth, schools run to foster welcoming environments on all campuses.
Today, the NCAA announced that the Board of Governors has voted to update the Association’s status. transgender student-athlete participation policy following the Trump administration’s decree. The new policy limits competition in women’s sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only. The policy allows student-athletes assigned male at birth to train with women’s teams and receive benefits such as medical care while training. This policy is effective immediately and applies to all student-athletes, regardless of previous eligibility reviews under the NCAA’s prior transgender participation policy.
“The NCAA is an organization made up of 1,100 colleges and universities in all 50 states that collectively recruit more than 530,000 student-athletes. We strongly believe that clear, consistent and uniform eligibility standards would better serve today’s student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court rulings. To that end, President Trump’s order provides a clear national standard,” said NCAA President Charlie Baker.
The Board of Governors also directed staff to help all member schools foster a respectful and inclusive collegiate sports culture. Following the direction of student-athlete leadership, the NCAA recently updated its mental health best practices. The NCAA requires all schools to make mental health services and resources available to all student-athletes in accordance with Mental health best practices.
“The updated policy combined with these resources delivers on the NCAA’s constitutional commitment to host intercollegiate athletics competition and to protect, support and improve the mental and physical health of student-athletes,” Baker said. “This national standard provides much-needed clarity as we modernize college sports for today’s student-athletes.” Visit ncaa.org to learn more about the NCAA’s mental health initiatives and resources to support respectful and inclusive collegiate sports cultures.
Learn more about the NCAA mental health initiatives And resources to support respectful and inclusive activities collegiate sports cultures.
Learn more about the update transgender student-athlete participation policy:
NCAA men’s sports:
Regardless of sex assigned at birth or gender identity, a student-athlete may participate (practice and compete) in NCAA men’s sports, provided they meet all other NCAA eligibility requirements.
*Student-athletes taking a prohibited substance (e.g., testosterone) must complete the medical exception process.
NCAA women’s sports:
A student-athlete assigned male at birth may not compete for an NCAA women’s team.
A student-athlete designated male at birth may practice on an NCAA women’s team and receive all other benefits applicable to student-athletes. Division I leaders plan to adopt roster limits in place of scholarship limits and new practice squad policies are still being developed.
A student-athlete assigned at birth as female who has started hormonal treatment (e.g., testosterone) may not compete on a women’s team. If such competition occurs, the team will be subject to the NCAA’s mixed team legislation and the team will no longer be eligible for the NCAA Women’s Championships.
A student-athlete assigned at birth who has started hormonal treatment (e.g., testosterone) may continue to train with a women’s team and receive all other benefits applicable to student-athletes.
Individual schools have the autonomy to determine athletic participation on their campuses.
NCAA schools are subject to local, state and federal law and this policy supersedes the NCAA rules.
Sports with mixed men’s and women’s NCAA championships are exempt from this policy (e.g. rifle).
