The NCAA has just announced that the Division I Transfer Working Group plans to issue its support for changes to transfer rules which would prevent schools from prohibiting where student-athletes can transfer.

The way the current NCAA transfer rules are set up, schools often block transfers to future opponents or conference foes, which forces many athletes to transfer to a junior college or the FCS level. The change the Working Group is supporting would not make transfers immediately eligible, it simply does not require transfers to gain permission from their former schools to allow them to go where they desire.

The vote on this measure will take place in June. Also expected to be voted on in June is a rule that would allow all transfers to be eligible immediately, providing certain academic requirements are met.

Another potential rule being considered by the Working Group would allow student-athletes to transfer without sitting out a season if the head coach they originally signed to play with leaves the program. The Group is also expected to consider a rule that frees recent signees from the early signing period and National Signing Day out of their Letters of Intent if a head coach leaves following National Signing Day.

A potential change to the graduate transfer rule could also be coming. While the process of allowing graduate transfers to play immediately will not be hindered, the Group will consider counting players that come in for one season of play but enroll in two-year graduate programs to count against scholarship limits for two seasons.