Nyzier Fourqurean eligibility update: NCAA wins appeal against Wisconsin DB over his 2025 aspirations

The Wisconsin Badgers are set to lose Nyzier Fourqurean for the upcoming college football season, following the NCAA's successful appeal. On Wednesday, a federal judge ruled that the cornerback has exhausted his eligibility and cannot continue playing college football in 2025.

In February, Fourqurean received a preliminary injunction from U.S. District Judge William M. Conley, enabling him to preserve his eligibility. This came after he filed a suit against the NCAA, arguing his two seasons at D-II Grand Valley State should not count toward his eligibility at Wisconsin.

Michael Crooks, Nyzier Fourqurean’s attorney, argued that the NCAA's denial of his fifth year of eligibility violates the United States antitrust law. This comes into play as it limits the cornerback’s ability to capitalize on the lucrative financial opportunities in today’s college football market.

“What we need are meaningful exceptions to the eligibility rules now that they have become commercial in nature," Crooks said (via Sports Illustrated). "We're not asking the court to throw out the eligibility rules in their entirety.”

Sports lawyer Darren Heitner noted on X that the key issue in Nyzier Fourqurean’s case before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit was his failure to define the relevant market. This is generally considered a critical component in antitrust lawsuits.

The appellate court faults the district court for granting Fourqurean the earlier injunction. Despite this, the appellate court acknowledged that Fourqurean could still succeed in proving his claim and directed the district court to expedite the ongoing litigation.

The NCAA claims Nyzier Fourqurean’s injunction will alter foundational rules

After Nyzier Fourqurean got the injunction that allowed him to return for his fifth season in February, the NCAA released a statement, disagreeing with the ruling. The body argued that granting him another year of eligibility would change its established rules.

“The NCAA supports all student-athletes maximizing their name, image and likeness potential, but today’s ruling creates even more uncertainty and may lead to countless high school students losing opportunities to compete in college athletics,” the NCAA said (via The Associated Press).

“Altering the enforcement of foundational eligibility rules — approved and supported by membership leaders — that are designed to help ensure competition is safe and fair for current and future student-athletes makes a shifting environment even more unsettled," it added.

Nyzier Fourqurean’s case is only one of the eligibility litigations the NCAA has had to deal with in the last couple of months. One of the most notable is Diego Pavia’s lawsuit, challenging the NCAA eligibility rule for former JUCO athletes. The litigations highlight the many issues arising from the body amid changes in collegiate athletics.