NCAA D1 Basketball Oversight Committee proposes moving transfer window to conclusion of Final Four

A significant change to the college basketball calendar could be on the horizon. The Division I Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees have formally recommended moving the notification-of-transfer window so it opens after the conclusion of the 2026 Men’s and Women’s Final Fours.

The shift is designed to reduce disruption to championship competition and bring clarity to the sport’s increasingly chaotic offseason. The proposal, announced Friday through an NCAA release, would shorten each window to 15 days while pushing its start deep into April.

Under the new structure, the women’s transfer window would run from April 6–20, while the men’s would follow April 7–21. The Division I Cabinet will review the recommendation in January, and if approved, the changes would go into effect in April 2026. 

Currently, the window opens immediately following the second round of both NCAA tournaments and stays open for 30 days. That setup that has led to widespread portal movement during March Madness, often overshadowing on-court storylines and destabilizing rosters still competing for titles.

Both oversight committees emphasized that aligning the transfer window with the end of the national championships would certainly better preserve competitive integrity. Programs competing deep into March would no longer face the possibility of players announcing transfer intentions mid-tournament, and coaches struggling to game-plan in the midst of roster uncertainty would be spared that added layer of chaos. 

The committees also highlighted that a shorter, later window keeps the focus on postseason play, while still giving student-athletes an efficient and transparent route to explore options.

Alongside the proposed calendar shift, the committees recommended changes to the process when coaching transitions occur. Under the new model, once a school hires a new head coach, a five-day period would allow the coach and current players to meet. After that, athletes would receive a 15-day window to notify the school of their intent to enter the NCAA Transfer Portal.

For programs that go more than 30 days without naming a replacement, the proposal grants student-athletes a portal window beginning on Day 31. However, if a coaching change happens after Jan. 1, athletes would need to wait until the official April transfer window, preventing an unintended wave of late-season departures.

If adopted, the overhaul would represent one of the most meaningful shifts to college basketball’s offseason structure in years, tightening timelines and clarifying rules The Cabinet’s decision in January now stands as the next pivotal step, and time will tell if they make the change.