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Janae Jackson officially entered the NCAA transfer portal this week and, in the process, may well have made herself the biggest name in the portal in any sport. But most people have never heard of the name Janae Jackson. In fact, Jackson was a virtual unknown to everybody until one day ago when it was discovered that the 32-year-old, who graduated from college in 2016, is looking to transfer.
Jackson played women’s college basketball for Northern Illinois before transferring to Youngstown State. The 5-foot-9 guard from Detroit started 26 games as a senior at YSU. She averaged 9.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the floor. But that’s where her career ended. Or, at least, that’s what everyone thought.
A former women’s college basketball player who graduated from Youngstown St in 2016 entered her name in the transfer portal.
She still has one season of DI competition left.
With the 5 year eligibility rule now legally questionable, maybe she’ll get to use that last season. https://t.co/EmaltfVdu2 pic.twitter.com/irAZkau01w
— Mit Winter (@WinterSportsLaw) April 29, 2025
In a recent case involving Rutgers football player Jett Elad, United States District Judge Zahid N. Quirashi more or less ended a pre-existing NCAA rule that stated that players must complete their eligibility within a five-year rolling clock. Jackson still has a year of eligibility remaining, but previously believed her career was over due to time constraints.
Now, even if Jackson were deemed eligible, it’s hard to imagine that there are teams out there looking for a 32-year-old guard who hasn’t played in a decade. But Jackson isn’t really the story. The story is what happens if she is ruled eligible. Because suddenly, you legally open up the rules for players who previously went pro to return to the college ranks.
Could a basketball player who left for the pros but didn’t make it in the NBA return to school? What about UFL players? If Jackson is deemed eligible, it opens a Pandora’s Box that will be all but impossible to close. Which is why a 32-year-old women’s basketball player who hasn’t played in a decade is suddenly the most important addition to the NCAA transfer portal.