Former MU defensive lineman sues NCAA for extra year of eligibility

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A member of the Mizzou football team’s past two seasons is seeking an extra year of eligibility.

Defensive tackle Sterling Webb filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in St. Louis County against the NCAA, claiming that he should have one more year of eligibility.

Webb is seeking a declaratory judgement and claims there has been a breach of contract.

Webb played at New Mexico State during the 2022 and 2023 seasons before transferring to Missouri in 2024 and completing the 2025 season. The petition alleges that Webb should have an extra year left after the NCAA made eligibility changes to an “age-based model” of five seasons in five years.  

Webb was 18 years old when he started playing college football in 2022 and will be 23 this year. The petition alleges that recent seniors are excluded while still fitting in the framework of the rule and this year’s incoming freshmen benefit more.  

“But the NCAA did not stop at adopting the new model. It attached a transition condition providing that student-athletes who had already completed a fourth season of competition before the model takes effect, without a ‘redshirt year’  in reserve, get nothing (the “Transition Exclusion”),” the lawsuit says.

The petition alleges MU has a roster spot available to him and cites a recent court case in Texas that allowed an offensive lineman at Texas to play an extra year.

The lawsuit says Webb is seeking a decision on the matter before fall camp starts for the Tigers on Monday, Aug. 3.

Mizzou Athletics gave its support for Webb in a statement sent to ABC 17 News.

“Mizzou Athletics is aware of today's court filing to consider Sterling Webb's college football eligibility status," the statement reads. "We support Sterling as he pursues his legal options and will continue to monitor the process. Because this is an active legal matter, we will not speculate on the outcome or provide further comment at this time.”

A motion hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.