NCAA Stance on Transgender Athlete Policy Remains Unchanged

NCAA President Charlie Baker expressed that the organization’s policy on transgender-athlete participation will likely remain unchanged following a recent Supreme Court decision. The Court ruled 6-3 in favor of West Virginia and Idaho, supporting state laws that mandate student-athletes compete on sports teams matching their biological sex at birth.

Baker appeared on CBS’ “Face the Nation” to discuss whether the NCAA would consider any changes to its policy. He stated, “I don’t think so. Generally, we try to establish policies for most of our programs that aspire to a national standard.” Baker highlighted the need for clarity on a national level and mentioned the NCAA’s adoption of the standard set forth by the Trump administration.

The NCAA altered its gender-eligibility policy in February 2025, following an executive order by then-President Donald Trump titled “No Men in Women’s Sports.” This policy reverses an earlier one from 2010 that permitted transgender athletes’ participation in women’s sports. The revised guidelines now allow a student-athlete born male to practice on NCAA women’s teams and enjoy typical student-athlete benefits.

Critics argue the policy does not sufficiently protect female college athletes. They contend that it allows athletes to bypass limitations by altering the gender on their birth certificate. In the U.S., 44 states permit these changes to birth certificates. However, states like Florida, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Montana do not allow it. Fourteen states, including California, New York, Massachusetts, and Michigan, allow these changes without requiring medical documentation.