Indiana volleyball opposite hitter Avry Tatum was among eight athletes granted a temporary restraining order by the against the NCAA on Friday, allowing them to play their fifth season of collegiate eligibility during the 2026-27 season, according to court records.
On July 31, a District Court judge in Colorado granted a preliminary injunction giving athletes from the high school class of 2022 an additional year of collegiate eligibility. Tatum’s eligibility for the 2026 season, along with the rest of the 2022 class, came into question when the injunction was paused Aug. 21 when the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit granted the NCAA a stay on the July 31 ruling.
On Friday, the Monroe Circuit Court in Indiana granted Tatum, a temporary restraining order against the NCAA. The decision allows the athletes to play during the 2026-27 season, as the July 31 ruling originally stated. Indiana swimmers and NCAA-medalists Owen McDonald and Zalán Sárkány along with Indiana football defensive linemen Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt were included in the TRO.
The order prohibits the NCAA from enforcing bylaws that would make the players ineligible on the basis of already playing four collegiate seasons
The case was filed Friday, allowing the TRO to be issued the same day.
There will be a hearing at 9 a.m. on Sept. 11 at the Charlotte Zietlow Justice Center, with Judge Kara E. Krothe presiding, to determine whether the athletes will be granted a preliminary injunction, which would extend their eligibility through the season.
Tatum recorded the third-most points for Indiana last season. She has been listed on the Hoosiers’ roster, practicing with the Cream and Crimson and sat on Indiana’s bench during all three of its matches this season.
Tatum transferred to Indiana following her freshman season at the University of Cincinnati and instantly made an impact on the Hoosiers’ squad. As a sophomore, she recorded 229 kills on a .204 hitting percentage. Her numbers rose exponentially in 2024, when she recorded 348 kills with a .282 clip.
In 2025, Tatum recorded 359 kills — which ranked third on the team — with a hitting percentage of .315. In late November, prior to the end of the season, she was elected by the Columbus Fury in the fourth round of the 2025 Major League Volleyball Draft. Tatum finished the season with Indiana, which went 25-8 overall and made the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals, but when the MLV season started in January, Tatum didn’t play in a single game.
After Tatum’s high-level senior season at Indiana, she was selected as an All-American honorable mention, making her one of just seven Hoosiers with their names on the All-American wall inside Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington. Along with All-American honors, Tatum was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2025.
In Tatum’s absence, junior Ella Boersema moved from middle blocker to opposite hitter during the offseason. Boersema has thrived in the position change through three matches this season, as the Churubusco, Indiana, native has 40 kills on a .380 hitting percentage.
No. 21 Indiana, which is 2-1 this season, is set to play No. 22 University of Tennessee at 3 p.m. Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee. The match will be broadcast on ESPN2.
