Indiana football defensive linemen Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt were among a group of 97 student-athletes who were granted a preliminary injunction Wednesday in the Monroe County Circuit Court. The injunction makes them eligible to play until a trial is held, likely preserving their eligibility through the end of the football season, barring an NCAA appeal.
Indiana athletes Sam Alexis (men’s basketball), Avry Tatum (volleyball), Owen McDonald (men’s swimming) and Zalán Sárkány (men’s swimming) are also plaintiffs in the case.
After a Sept. 14 hearing, Judge Kara E. Krothe gave both parties until Sept. 17 to submit their proposed findings. After six days of deliberation, Krothe granted the injunction.
Prior to the NCAA’s new eligibility rule, athletes’ eligibility clock began when they started their first academic term of college. The new rule defines the start of the timeline as the earlier of when the athlete begins their first academic term in college, or the start of the academic year after their nineteenth birthday. Krothe deemed the plaintiffs eligible under both manuals.
“In short, all athletes are granted five years of eligibility under both the Old Manual and the New Manual,” the injunction states. “The Court finds that Plaintiffs may compete: (1) under the express terms of the 2026-27 Manual; and (2) because the NCAA violated its obligations to them under the 2025-26 Manual.”
Krothe believes the NCAA “misled” the plaintiffs when it sent a memo in October 2025 saying it would not adopt five-for-five “anytime soon” and that eligibility rules would not change in the 2025-26 or 2026-27 academic years.
This led the plaintiffs to pursue other opportunities, including entering into professional contracts, Krothe said.
Both Daley and Wyatt were eligible for the Hoosiers’ first two games of the season with a temporary restraining order. But with the order expiring Sept.14 and no ruling prior to Indiana’s Week 3 contest against Western Kentucky University, the duo was ineligible.
Now they will likely be eligible for the remainder of the season. Daley and Wyatt join the 3-0 Hoosiers just before conference play begins against Northwestern at 8 p.m. Friday.
Daley has already made an impact for Indiana through two appearances. After seeing limited action in Indiana’s season opener against the University of North Texas, Daley saw increased playing time against Howard University. In Week 2, the defensive lineman recorded five total tackles and a tackle for loss.
Wyatt has not yet played for Indiana this season but made significant contributions in 2025 before suffering a season-ending knee injury against Michigan State last October. Across seven appearances last year, Wyatt registered 27 tackles and eight TFLs.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Nathan Shriberg (@NShriberg and naashri@iu.edu) and columnist Elakai Anela (@elakai_anela and eanela@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
