The NCAA announced Thursday that it will implement player availability reporting for the 2026 men's and women's basketball tournaments in March.
Teams must submit their availability reports to the NCAA the night before their games and again two hours before kickoff, according to a news release. The reports will be made available to the public.
Players will be assumed available unless they are designated as questionable or out, according to the release. Inaccurate reports may result in sanctions for the school.
The decision to require availability reporting, which came after months of discussion, is part of the NCAA's efforts to protect student-athletes from the influences of sports betting and protect the integrity of the games, the NCAA said.
“Implementing player availability reporting is an important step in increasing protections for student-athletes by relieving pressure to improve their college experience,” NCAA President Charlie Baker said in the statement.
HD Intelligence, a data company that works with multiple conferences on availability reporting, will serve as the NCAA's player availability services provider.
The NCAA will evaluate the continuation of the program in future Division I basketball championships and other championship events.
