Will 3 Former Arizona Softball Players Get NCAA 5-for-5 Eligibility?

The proposed NCAA 5-for-5 model has been a nonstop topic of conversation in the sports world this fall. 

The new age-based model would give all Division I student-athletes up to five years of eligibility if they enroll in college no later than the academic year after their 19th birthday. The only exceptions are pregnancy, religious missions and active military duty. An injury or anything else that keeps a student-athlete off the field for a year counts against the five-year clock. 

Softball fans nationwide have had numerous questions about this model and what it means for the sport. For instance, will coaches and conferences really allow former players to return and keep the incoming recruiting class in a holding pattern? 

Arizona softball head coach Caitlin Lowe said she's ready to welcome back three interested players with open arms. Catcher Sydney Stewart, utility player Grace Jenkins, and pitcher Jalen Adams have been working out with the team and desire to return to the Wildcats, depending on how the courts ultimately rule. 

“There’s potential, Lowe told Michael Lev of the Arizona Daily Star. “We cannot close the door yet. All are interested in a (bonus) year if they get it.” 

Stewart and Jenkins spent the summer playing professionally for the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL), while Adams was rostered at one point, but didn’t appear in any games. Both Stewart and Jenkins are currently listed as graduate assistants for the Wildcats. 

“If it happens, great,” Lowe told the Arizona Daily Star. “And if not, they’re working out next to our team right now-iron-sharpens-iron type of thing. So it’s been great to have their expertise, and it’s also keeping them ready for whatever they choose to do next.” 

Alabama head coach Patrick Murphy has already stated he is preparing for his current seniors to return if they’d like after the 2027 season, while Beth Torina of LSU saw two of her players testify in court after the Southeastern Conference filed a lawsuit against the school in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama. 

LSU’s Paytn Monticelli spent the summer winning a championship with the Atlanta Smoke of the Professional Softball League (PSL), while Jalia Lassiter played for the Texas Volts of the AUSL. Both have also been working out with the Tigers and said they would return the money they made from the pro leagues if it meant they could return for one more year of college ball. 

Right now, as conferences battle the intricacies of the 5-for-5 rule in courts, returning softball players can be rostered but cannot play in games or practice. On the football front, Arizona allowed two players to return and play for a few weeks before a court ruled them ineligible. 

Stewart is coming off one of her best collegiate seasons, earning Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Batting Champion, and NFCA First-Team All-American honors. She hit .390 with 20 home runs and 76 RBIs, while setting the program’s career record for slugging percentage at .866. 

Jenkins and Adams were two strong additions from the transfer portal in 2026, helping the Wildcats make a run in the NCAA Regionals. Jenkins came from UConn and earned All-Big 12 honors after coming in second on the team with 14 home runs, 65 RBIs, and a .706 slugging percentage. Adams came from Iowa and led Arizona in the circle with 21 wins, while ranking fourth in the Big 12. 

“All three of them have a really good head on their shoulders about it,” Lowe told the Arizona Daily Star. “I have not treated it any sort of way except for being incredibly honest and upfront about what it all means. “That was a call I gave right away to give them all the opportunity, and now it’s just seeing how things play out this fall.” 

What about the Incoming Class of 2027? 

With far more money in NIL at the collegiate level than in an AUSL or PSL contract, don’t be surprised if more players tack on a fifth year or come out of the weeds to return to their beloved programs.  

A handful of 2027 recruits around the country have already started to decommit and have renounced their recruiting journey on social media. Memphis withdrew offers from three high schoolers right after the NCAA passed the rule. Cassidy Ott, a 2027 catcher recruit, has not been shy on social media about her frustrations, as she had to remap her entire college career.

This rule has the potential to deeply hurt college softball, more so than football or basketball, due to the fact that softball’s professional choices just don’t have the money.