Zakai Zeigler drops appeal seeking eligibility injunction
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Zakai Zeigler is moving on from his attempt to gain a 5th season of college eligibility.
In a released statement shared by Mike Wilson, Zeigler’s attorney says the former Tennessee standout is looking toward the future of his basketball career, maintaining that they remain committed to going to trial to address the core legal issue.
The statement continued: "We remain committed to pressing his case forward in the trial court, where the core legal issues remain very much alive."
— Mike Wilson (@ByMikeWilson) July 1, 2025
In May, Zeigler filed a suit against the NCAA seeking a 5th year of eligibility. Unlike suits that have asked for non-DI seasons (JUCO, DII) not to count against DI eligibility, Zeigler’s argument focused on the redshirt rule. Zeigler essentially argued that athletes should have NIL opportunities for all 5 seasons of the 5-year eligibility window that currently allows for 4 full seasons and 1 redshirt year.
The U.S. District Court denied Zeigler a preliminary injunction to grant him 2025-26 eligibility. He quickly appealed the decision.
Over 4 seasons, Zeigler played in 138 games for Tennessee, making 83 starts. He was a 37-game starter as a senior, playing 34.2 minutes per game. Zeigler averaged career-highs of 13.6 points and 7.4 assists per game in UT’s 2024-25 campaign, earning SEC Defensive Player of the Year recognition.
Andrew writes about sports to fund his love of live music and collection of concert posters. He strongly endorses the Hall of Fame campaigns of Fred Taylor and Andruw Jones.
