The Mississippi High School Activities Association has modified some of its rules regarding student-athlete eligibility.

The 2025-26 MHSAA handbook was released earlier this week, and there are two notable changes to its eligibility rules. There is also a change to the eligibility appeal process.

Rule 2.28.2 deals with the eligibility of a student-athlete who transfers schools. The rule previously stated that changing residence “for the purpose of athletic eligibility shall not be considered a bona fide change of residence, unless the move is made 60 days prior to the beginning of school.”

The rule now simply says that the move must be made prior to the beginning of a new school year, with no 60-day proviso. Rule 2.28.2 was at the center of the Braylen Williams saga last year, when the football standout transferred from Nettleton to Tupelo. The MHSAA ruled him ineligible to compete for Tupelo, saying he did not withdraw from Nettleton before the 60-day window. Williams moved in with his aunt and uncle in Tupelo in May, with his mother eventually also moving there.

The quarterback and defensive back, who holds several Division I offers and is committed to Ole Miss, was eventually granted eligibility by an arbitrator. He played in Tupelo’s final two playoff games and made an interception in the Class 7A state title game, which the Golden Wave won.

Williams is a senior this coming school year and is expected to be Tupelo’s starting quarterback.

Rule 2.31.3 was also changed. It previously stated, “Neither guardianship nor parents separating carries eligibility.” The rule now says, “Court-ordered guardianship issued by a judge is valid for eligibility.” The second half of the original rule, regarding parents separating, is still intact as Rule 2.31.4.

The MHSAA also added a provision for student-athletes who are appealing an eligibility ruling (Rule 4.3.1). When going before the MHSAA executive committee for an appeal hearing, the student-athlete, parent or school lodging an appeal is now allowed to have legal representation join them at the hearing.

This rule was central to another Tupelo eligibility case, that of distance runner Andrew Brown. He was stripped of his eligibility in the spring of 2024 after running in a national meet without first gaining permission from the MHSAA and for running as an “unattached contestant,” i.e., not representing one’s school (per Rule 6.2.3). That caused him to miss the bulk of the outdoor track and field season.

Brown and his family appealed the ruling. They consulted local attorney Jay Weir, but he was not allowed to attend the appeal hearing under the old version of the rule.

Brown’s appeal was denied, and so he had to wait until the 2024-25 school year began to be eligible again. He went on to win the 7A state title in cross country that fall.

Another tweak to Rule 4.3.1 is that a request for appeal must be filed with the MHSAA within 10 business days from the date the school received notice of an eligibility ruling. The rule previously stated that a request for appeal must be filed within five calendar days of the school receiving notice.

There is also a new rule (2.34.2) that addresses student-athletes who transfer from a non-MHSAA school to an MHSAA school during a season. The rule states that the student-athlete “must sit out the number of games the previous school had played from the beginning of that sport season through the date of enrollment at the MHSAA member school.”

MHSAA executive director Rickey Neaves did not respond to a message seeking comment on these changes.