Kristina Paegle and Levi Sandidge are now ineligible for the NCAA this upcoming season after the NCAA won its appeal in Kentucky. Paegle and Sandidge are part of a lawsuit for an NCAA fifth year.
The two were a part of Wells vs. NCAA that was filed in Kentucky. That lawsuit was originally filed in the middle of August before more athletes added their names to the lawsuit at the start of September. The lawsuit aimed to grandfather them into the NCAA’s five-for-five eligibility model, giving athletes who graduated this past season another year of eligibility. Today, the NCAA won its appeal.
Paegle spent her undergraduate career at Indiana while Sandidge spent his undergraduate career at Kentucky. Both swimmers earned NCAA All-American honors this past season with Sandidge most notably finishing 3rd in the 1650 free at men’s NCAAs and Paegle helping Indiana’s 200 and 400 free relays to top eight finishes.
Paegle most notably swam for Indiana last week at Match #1 of the College Swimming League (CSL). There she helped the team’s 200 free relay to a win and swam to 2nd in the 50 free and 3rd in the 100 free at the individual level. Kentucky has not yet kicked off their season so Sandidge has not represented the Wildcats yet this season.
Paegle is also a member of the lawsuit in Indiana alongside men’s teammates Zalan Sarkany and Owen McDonald. Last week, a judge granted Sarkany and McDonald a 5th year but the two did not swim for the Indiana men at CSL Match #1.
