By a 67-60 majority of New Mexico Activities Association member schools, high school athletes in the state will now be able to transfer once without penalty, the NMAA announced Monday.
As reported by USA TODAY, any subsequent transfers will carry the state’s previous transfer penalty, which includes sitting out for a year of varsity competition at their destination school. Exceptions to the rule include circumstances such as residence changes or discontinued programs.
The new rule, which had been approved by the NMAA Commission and the NMAA Board of Directors in recent weeks, will go into effect during the 2026-27 school year.
“This change reflects the membership’s desire to provide students and families with greater flexibility while maintaining the safeguards that protect the integrity of interscholastic activities,” said NMAA executive director Dusty Young in a press release about the change, as reported by USA TODAY.
"New Mexico will also be cracking down on recruiting violations as part of their updated rulebook, doubling their first-time fine for schools and third parties that have an 'undue influence' on transferring athletes from $2,500 to $5,000," USA TODAY's Alyce Brown reported. "The rule change comes at a time where high school athletic transfers are becoming both more common and more controversial. Some states, like Tennessee, have recently loosened penalties for transferring high school athletes, while others, including athletics-heavy Texas, have been cracking down on high-profile athletic transfers."
