Four West Virginia athletes received good news Wednesday morning. Men’s basketball forwards Brenen Lorient and Javan Buchanan, football defensive back Jason Chambers, and baseball pitcher Ben McDougal were granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA by U.S. District Court Judge John Preston Bailey. It allows all four to compete for roster spots at WVU during the 2026-27 academic year. Keenan Cummings of On3 first reported the news. Read more: Federal court grants four WVU athletes a fifth year of eligibility.
The legal backdrop
The case centers on the NCAA’s new “5-for-5” eligibility rule, which was implemented in June. It grants athletes five years of eligibility to complete five seasons, but only if they enrolled no later than the academic year following their 19th birthday. The four WVU athletes, who all graduated high school in the class of 2022, argued they should have also been given the opportunity for a fifth season since they had already completed four. Bailey’s ruling enjoins the NCAA from enforcing the rule against the group and from enforcing the “Rule of Restitution.”
The athletes
Lorient was a key piece for head coach Ross Hodge last season after transferring from North Texas. He followed Hodge to WVU and played 29.4 minutes per game across 34 games. He averaged 11.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 0.7 steals per game. Lorient is a strong defender and adds experience to the team, which features one of the highest-ranked recruiting groups in program history. The class finished No. 14 in ESPN’s final team rankings.
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Buchanan played at Boise State for two seasons before transferring to West Virginia. He also played two seasons at Indiana Wesleyan before Boise State, which is at the NAIA level. Buchanan averaged 12.6 points and five rebounds per game at Boise State in 2025-26.
Chambers played at West Virginia last season after transferring from Appalachian State. He played in all 12 games for the Mountaineers last season at cornerback and on special teams. Chambers finished the season with 34 tackles, including 29 solo tackles. He added three tackles for loss. Chambers had an interception at UCF, where he also served as a team captain for the game. He has been practicing with the team and could play against Iowa State this weekend.
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McDougal pitched at Potomac State for two seasons before coming to Morgantown. Over the last two seasons, he has made 32 appearances for the Mountaineers. He owns a 3.44 ERA over 36.2 innings pitched. The Bridgeport native pitched five innings against Kentucky in the NCAA Regional, earning the win with six strikeouts and two runs allowed.
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