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High school athletes interested in transferring schools will have to do it as Freshmen and Sophomores to retain their eligibility.
Three years ago, the West Virginia Legislature passed a law allowing student athletes to transfer between schools and retain their playing eligibility. The intent was to allow homeschool and charter school students to participate in school sports.
What happened instead was some high schools making super teams that led to lopsided victories.
Gov. Patrick Morrisey has now signed House Bill 4425 to undo much of that original rule. Only lower classmen can transfer and retain their eligibility. Upper classmen cannot. The governor applauded the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission (SSAC) for adopting a more flexible and balanced student-athlete transfer rule.
“The SSAC is adopting a more flexible, common-sense approach,” Morrisey said in a press release Tuesday. “This new rule makes improvements to the previous policy – giving families greater flexibility while protecting competitive integrity and strengthening the communities that rally around their homegrown athletes. That is why I am proud to sign House Bill 4425 into law today.”
Under the newly adopted rule, student-athletes transferring during their freshman or sophomore years will retain eligibility, while transfer restrictions remain in place for upperclassmen. The rule applies equally to all students, including those participating through homeschool and scholarship programs.
A statement from the governor’s office said “By restoring local control and implementing a structured but flexible rule, the Secondary School Activities Commission’s action is expected to promote fair competition across schools while maintaining stability within athletic programs statewide.”
The governor’s office engaged with SSAC leadership in recent weeks to encourage a more nuanced and flexible standard following legislative changes to the state’s transfer statute. During discussions of the repeal at this year’s legislative session, lawmakers were frank that their frustration with the SSAC was a factor in the passing of the 2023 rule.
“For many communities, high school sports are just as much about competition as they are about watching young athletes grow up together, representing their hometowns, and building pride in their schools,” Morrisey said. “This framework preserves that tradition while recognizing the realities families face today.”
The law is effective 90 days from passage, so it will take effect on June 11, 2026.