In response to President Trump’s executive order barring men from women's sports, the NCAA’s Board of Governors voted to update the association’s policy for transgender student athletes, restricting the women’s category to females.
“We strongly believe that clear, consistent, and uniform eligibility standards would best serve today's student-athletes instead of a patchwork of conflicting state laws and court decisions,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement. “To that end, President Trump's order provides a clear, national standard.”
The new policy limits competition in women's sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth only. The policy permits student-athletes assigned male at birth to practice with women's teams and receive benefits such as medical care while practicing. This policy is effective immediately and applies to all student-athletes regardless of previous eligibility reviews under the NCAA's prior transgender participation policy. [...]
The Board of Governors also directed staff to help all member schools foster respectful and inclusive collegiate athletic cultures. Following student-athlete leadership direction, the NCAA recently updated its Mental Health Best Practices. The NCAA requires all schools to make mental health services and resources available to all student-athletes consistent with the Mental Health Best Practices. (NCAA)
"The updated policy combined with these resources follows through on the NCAA's constitutional commitment to deliver intercollegiate athletics competition and to protect, support and enhance the mental and physical health of student-athletes," Baker added. "This national standard brings much needed clarity as we modernize college sports for today's student-athletes."
Female athletes celebrated the news on X.
The NCAA has officially changed their 'transgender participation' policy effective immediately.
— Riley Gaines (@Riley_Gaines_) February 6, 2025
I can't even begin to tell you how vindicating it feels knowing no girl will ever have to experience what my teammates and I did.
Thank God Trump is back in office. pic.twitter.com/2USfSuZ6ij
Four years as an NCAA athlete begging those in charge to change their policy that jeopardized my safety and opportunity...crickets.
— Macy Petty (@macypetty0416) February 6, 2025
I cannot express to you how much this means to me. pic.twitter.com/gE8TsQzCsX
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