Stop us if you've heard this before, but the NCAA is trying to get in the way of what should be an easy decision. Earlier this month, breaking news arrived for the Tennessee Volunteers baseball team, with former North Carolina slugger Alberto Osuna signing with the program out of nowhere.
It was a major win for head coach Tony Vitello and his coaching staff with Opening Day around the corner. However, Vitello recently revealed that his new standout was waiting to hear back from the NCAA over his eligibility for an extra campaign.
Now, though, things have taken a different turn. Breaking news just arrived that Osuna has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA and its eligibility rules. Osuna previously played at the JUCO level, so he's arguing that he indeed should be allowed to play for Tennessee in 2025. This is similar to the suit Diego Pavia filed in 2024:
This is the baseball version of the Pavia suit, which triggered the NCAA to issue a waiver to those in a similar situation. However, the waiver does not extend to Osuna Sanchez to compete in the 2025 baseball season. It extends only to those using a 4th year in Fall 25/Spring 26.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) February 12, 2025
Tennessee baseball star Alberto Osuna filed a lawsuit against the NCAA's eligibility rules
What might hurt Osuna here is that according to Dellinger, the waiver that was granted to NCAA players, including Pavia, was one that was set for the fall of 2025 and spring of 2026. Nothing was finalized for 2025 spring players.
The first baseman was originally slated to play for the University of Tampa Bay this season after closing out his time in Chapel Hill with the Tar Heels. However, Pavia opened the door for players with JUCO time to their name to push for an extra year.
That's exactly what Osuna and Tennessee are trying to get done, but the NCAA could end up preventing that from happening. The Vols are set to start their new season soon, but it's now fully unclear if Osuna will be able to play or not.
Tennessee shocked everyone by winning the College Baseball World Series in 2024 and it's in a prime spot to potentially repeat as champs. Having Osuna available could make the difference in that happening. For now, everyone will have to wait on what the NCAA decides to do.