Indiana Swimmers Sarkany, McDonald Gain NCAA Eligibility via
A temporary restraining order issued by an Indiana judge makes distance swimmer Zalan Sarkany and backstroker Owen McDonald eligible for the 2026-27 NCAA
Indiana University swimmers Zalan Sarkany and Owen McDonald are eligible for the upcoming 2026-27 NCAA season following a temporary court order. Indiana circuit court Judge Kara Krothe issued the temporary restraining order (TRO) on Friday, prohibiting the NCAA from blocking a fifth year of competition for athletes from the high school Class of 2022.
The ruling is the latest judicial intervention into college sports eligibility rules. It stems from lawsuits filed by Class of 2022 athletes after the NCAA adopted a new "five-for-five" policy starting with the Class of 2023, which grants five years of eligibility to athletes who graduate within that timeframe.
Sarkany and McDonald, both members of the Class of 2022, joined other Indiana athletes in seeking the same benefit. Judge Krothe's order temporarily places them in the position they were in at the end of their last collegiate season. "As long as they would have been eligible, academically and otherwise, to continue playing college sports in the following semester if they had a fifth year of eligibility, they are eligible today," Krothe wrote in her ruling.
Pending Decision on Permanent Status
A hearing is scheduled for September 11 to determine whether a permanent injunction will be issued. If the court rules in the athletes' favor, Sarkany and McDonald would be granted a permanent fifth year of eligibility with the Indiana Hoosiers.
The temporary order also extended fifth-year eligibility to other Indiana athletes, including football players Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt from last year's national championship team, and All-Big Ten Conference volleyball player Avry Tatum.
Impact on Indiana Swimming
Securing permanent eligibility for the two swimmers would significantly bolster the Indiana men's program for the 2026-27 season. Zalan Sarkany is recognized as one of the world's premier distance swimmers. His teammate, Owen McDonald, ranks among the NCAA's top performers in backstroke events and the 200-yard individual medley.
The case highlights the ongoing legal challenges to NCAA eligibility policies. The outcome of the September hearing will determine if these Class of 2022 athletes can complete a full fifth year of competition, a standard now afforded to subsequent classes.
