The Protect College Sports Act: What Student-Athletes and Families Need to Know

Updated: October 2026

College athletics has changed dramatically over the past several years.

Name, Image and Likeness (NIL). The transfer portal. Revenue sharing. Conference realignment. Roster limits. Lawsuits. New eligibility questions.

For high school student-athletes and their families, it can feel as though the rules change before you have time to understand the last set of rules.

Now there is another major development families need to understand.

On September 28, 2026, the U.S. Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act of 2026 (S. 4668) by a bipartisan vote of 77–22. The legislation would establish federal rules governing several major areas of college athletics, including NIL, athlete compensation, transfers, eligibility, scholarships, medical coverage, recruiting and protections for women’s and Olympic sports.

But there is an important distinction:

The Protect College Sports Act has NOT become law.

The Senate has passed the legislation, but the House of Representatives must also approve it before it can be sent to the President for a signature.

So, what does the proposed law actually say? And, perhaps more importantly for Find My Team families, what could it mean for a high school student-athlete preparing to compete in college?

Let’s break it down.

Why Is Congress Getting Involved in College Sports?

For decades, college athletics was largely governed by organizations such as the NCAA, individual conferences and their member institutions.

That system has been disrupted by court decisions, state NIL laws, the transfer portal and, most recently, the House v. NCAA settlement that created a framework allowing participating schools to share revenue directly with athletes.

At the same time, more than 30 states have enacted their own NIL laws. That has created different rules depending upon where an athlete attends college.

The Protect College Sports Act attempts to create more consistent national standards in areas including NIL, transfers, eligibility, athlete health and safety and recruiting.

That national consistency is one of the primary arguments supporters make for the legislation.

Critics, however, question whether Congress should give college athletic organizations additional legal protections and whether the legislation could limit athletes’ future bargaining power.

Those are important debates.

For families going through recruiting, however, several provisions deserve particular attention.

1. A Federal Right to NIL Compensation

The legislation would establish federal protections for college athletes to earn compensation from their Name, Image and Likeness.

That matters because NIL rules currently involve a combination of NCAA policies, state laws and institutional requirements, with no federal involvement.

The bill would also establish more transparency around NIL agreements.

For Division I athletes and prospective athletes, NIL compensation or agreements exceeding $600 in value generally would have to be disclosed. The legislation specifically includes prospective student-athletes who have been recruited but have not yet enrolled.

Importantly, the bill also includes privacy protections surrounding those disclosures.

Another significant provision involves athlete agents. Agent fees would generally be capped at 5%, and athlete agents would be subject to registration and certification requirements. Currently there are no such restrictions in place.

What this could mean for families.

Even though NIL opportunities are now part of the recruiting conversation, particularly at the Division I level, families should be careful not to make NIL the primary reason for choosing a college.

An NIL opportunity can change. A coach can leave. Rosters can change. Playing time can change.

Your academic, athletic and personal fit still matters.

Compensation is one part of the college experience. It should not replace the process of finding the right college.

2. New National Transfer Rules

This is one of the provisions families should watch closely.

Under the Senate-passed bill, an athlete transferring from one four-year institution to another would generally be allowed one transfer without losing or delaying eligibility.

A second transfer would generally result in the athlete losing eligibility for the first academic year following that transfer. Currently, there are no restrictions on the number of times an athlete can transfer, so this change will be significant.

There are exceptions.

An athlete could transfer again without the eligibility penalty under certain circumstances, including:

• The athlete’s sport being discontinued.
• The departure of the athlete’s head coach.
• Sexual assault or harassment involving someone associated with the institution.
• The athlete pursuing a graduate degree.

Why is this important for high school recruits?

Because transferring may no longer be viewed as an unlimited safety net.

The first college decision matters.

That does not mean a 17- or 18-year-old must somehow predict everything that will happen during college. That is impossible.

It does mean athletes should do as much research as possible before making their initial decision.

• Ask questions.
• Visit campuses.
• Research the academic program.
• Understand the roster.
• Learn about the coaching philosophy.
• Talk with current athletes.
• Understand the financial package.
• Consider the campus environment.
• Know what you want from your college experience.

At Find My Team, we have always encouraged athletes to look beyond the logo and ask:

“Can I thrive here?”

If the proposed transfer provisions become law, that question becomes even more important.

3. A Five-Year Eligibility Framework

The legislation would also establish a national eligibility framework for Division I and Division II athletes.

Generally, athletes would have a maximum of five calendar years of eligibility, beginning with either full-time college enrollment or the academic year following their 19th birthday, whichever occurs first.

The bill contains exceptions for circumstances including pregnancy, religious missions, active-duty military service and potentially serious athletic injuries or medical conditions.

For families, this could bring more consistency to an eligibility environment that has become increasingly confusing following COVID extensions, waivers and litigation.

But it also makes understanding eligibility rules before enrolling even more important.

4. Stronger Scholarship Protections

One of the most significant athlete protections in the legislation concerns scholarships.

Under the bill, a school generally could not revoke, reduce or condition an athletic grant-in-aid because of:

• Athletic performance or ability.
• An injury or illness.
• Roster-management decisions.

There are exceptions, including situations involving transfers, academic eligibility requirements and violations of institutional or team policies.

For Division I athletes who leave school without completing their undergraduate degree, the legislation also establishes a path to return and receive degree-completion assistance within a defined period. In qualifying circumstances, that protection could extend as far as 10 years after the athlete’s final year of eligibility.

For families worried about whether an athletic scholarship can disappear because an athlete gets injured or no longer performs at the expected level, these provisions are significant.

5. Medical and Health Protections

The proposed legislation includes substantial health and safety provisions.

Division I schools generally would be required to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses associated with injuries or illnesses resulting from participation in college sports.

The bill also includes provisions for:

• Independent second medical opinions.
• Catastrophic injury coverage.
• An end-of-college medical examination.
• Medical expenses related to athletic injuries for five years following an athlete’s final competition.
• Standards concerning concussions and brain injuries, heat-related illness, sickle cell trait and asthma.
• Independent medical decision-making regarding return to play.
• Protections addressing hazing, abuse, sexual assault and harassment.

The legislation would also establish a medical fund beginning at no less than $60 million annually to help address certain post-eligibility medical needs.

For families evaluating colleges, this reinforces something we frequently tell athletes:

Your recruiting questions should go far beyond playing time.

• Ask who makes medical decisions.
• Ask what happens when you are injured.
• Ask about mental health resources.
• Ask about insurance.
• Ask about academic support.

The entire student-athlete experience matters.

6. Recruiting and Tampering Rules Could Change

This part of the legislation is especially relevant to current high school athletes.

The bill directs college athletics organizations to establish and enforce rules addressing recruiting and tampering.

Those provisions include limits on when schools, associated entities and athlete agents could contact athletes for recruiting purposes.

The bill also calls for athletes and prospective athletes to affirmatively opt in to certain recruiting contacts and seeks to prevent compensation from being used improperly as a recruiting inducement.

The details of how those rules ultimately would be implemented will matter enormously.

For current recruits, the important message is simple:

Do not assume today’s recruiting rules will necessarily be tomorrow’s recruiting rules.

Continue communicating with coaches, but stay informed about NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, conference and institutional requirements that apply to your particular situation.

7. Protections for Women’s and Olympic Sports

Another major concern surrounding revenue sharing has been the future of non-revenue sports.

If athletic departments devote more money to athlete compensation, where will that money come from?

Could schools eliminate teams?

Reduce roster spots?

Cut scholarships?

The Protect College Sports Act attempts to address those concerns by creating protections for women’s and Olympic sports and maintaining certain sport, roster and grant-in-aid opportunities.

Some of those protections are temporary and depend upon school athletic revenue levels, so families should not interpret the legislation as guaranteeing that every current college sports program will continue indefinitely.

Still, the issue is particularly important for recruits in sports outside football and men’s basketball.

The Arguments in Favor of the Act

Supporters of the legislation point to several potential benefits.

A federal framework could replace the current patchwork of state NIL laws with more consistent national standards. Scholarship and medical protections could provide athletes with greater security. Agent regulations could help protect young athletes from predatory representation. National transfer and eligibility rules could make the system easier to understand. Protections for women’s and Olympic sports could also help preserve opportunities as athletic departments adjust to revenue sharing.

The NCAA and several college athletics organizations have supported the legislation, arguing that federal standards would provide stability in an environment increasingly shaped by litigation.

The Concerns and Criticisms

The legislation also has significant critics.

One concern involves the bill’s limited antitrust protections for the NCAA, conferences and institutions when enforcing certain rules involving transfers, eligibility, compensation and recruiting.

Some athlete advocacy groups argue that these protections could give college athletics organizations too much control over athlete compensation and mobility.

Other critics are concerned that the legislation does not resolve whether college athletes should be classified as employees.

The bill specifically states that it is neutral on the question of athlete employee status.

There are also concerns about enforcement. While athletes would have the ability to bring civil actions to enforce a number of protections, critics argue that individual athletes should not have to rely heavily on lawsuits to protect rights established by federal law.

The debate ultimately involves a difficult question:

How do you create stability in college athletics while preserving meaningful rights and opportunities for athletes?

Congress has not finished answering that question.

What Happens Next?

This is the part families should pay close attention to.

September 28, 2026: The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act 77–22.

Next: The legislation moves to the U.S. House of Representatives.

The House is scheduled to return to legislative business after the November elections. If the House passes the exact Senate version, the legislation could then go to the President.

If the House changes the bill, the House and Senate would have to resolve those differences before legislation could reach the President.

If both chambers approve identical legislation and the President signs it, the Protect College Sports Act would become federal law.

Even then, some provisions have implementation timelines. For example, the bill calls for certain health and safety standards within 270 days after enactment, while NIL reporting and database requirements have their own implementation deadlines.

So families should remember:

Senate passage does not mean the rules change immediately.

What Should High School Student-Athletes Do Right Now?

Keep recruiting.

Keep asking questions.

Keep researching colleges.

And keep looking for fit.

The legislation may change some of the rules surrounding college athletics, but it does not change the most important decision an athlete makes during recruiting:

Where can I thrive academically, athletically, socially, financially and personally?

Don’t choose a college because you assume you can always transfer.

Don’t choose a college solely because of an NIL promise.

Don’t choose a college only because of the name on the jersey.

And don’t assume every promise made during recruiting will remain unchanged for four or five years.

Instead, understand who you are and what you want from your college experience.

Research.

Ask better questions.

Build relationships.

Understand the rules.

And find a college that fits the whole person—not just the athlete.

That is how you put yourself in the best position to thrive, regardless of how college athletics continues to change.

Find your fit before you find your offer.

Find My Team will continue following the Protect College Sports Act as it moves through the House of Representatives. Because the legislation remains pending, athletes and families should rely on current NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, conference and institutional rules until any new federal requirements actually take effect.