Coach’s Challenge Officially Coming to College Basketball in 2025-26 Season
Beginning with the 2025–26 season, college basketball will introduce a coach’s challenge system, bringing a new layer of strategy and accountability to the sport. The NCAA Men’s Basketball Rules Committee officially confirmed the rule change on Tuesday after months of deliberation.
The addition of the coach’s challenge is part of a broader effort to improve game flow and fairness, especially in crucial late-game situations. The committee believes the new system will allow teams to “have more control over their end-of-game scenarios,” which can be pivotal in deciding the outcome of closely contested matchups.
🔍 What is the New Coach’s Challenge Rule?
The coach’s challenge gives coaches the opportunity to request video reviews for select officiating decisions. It is designed to ensure greater accuracy in game-changing calls and bring an extra level of precision to officiating.
Both men’s and women’s college basketball will adopt the rule, though there will be some key differences in how each division implements it.
On the men’s side, coaches such as Mark Pope, John Calipari, and Dan Hurley will be allowed to challenge calls in the following areas:
- Out-of-bounds decisions
- Goaltending or basket interference
- Whether a secondary defender was inside the restricted arc
Teams will begin each game with one coach’s challenge. If the challenge is successful, they will be awarded one additional challenge for the remainder of the game, including overtime. However, if the first challenge is unsuccessful, no more challenges can be used for the rest of the game.
There’s an important caveat for the men’s game: a team must have at least one timeout remaining in order to issue a challenge.
In contrast, for women’s basketball, coaches like Dawn Staley, Cori Close, and Geno Auriemma will have more flexibility. The timeout requirement will not apply, allowing coaches to issue challenges regardless of their timeout situation.
🚫 No Fouls Can Be Challenged — For Now
Unlike the NBA, the college version of the coach’s challenge will not allow coaches to dispute foul calls, which remains one of the most controversial and impactful elements in tight games. For now, the NCAA is limiting the scope of the challenge to maintain simplicity and ensure efficient game flow.
However, fans may still get a glimpse of what expanded usage could look like during women’s exhibition games, where coaches will be allowed to test the challenge system more broadly before it becomes fully implemented.
🔄 What’s Next for College Basketball Rules?
The coach’s challenge rule may be just the beginning. The NCAA announced that further feedback will be gathered from conferences following the 2025–26 season. The Rules Committee will evaluate responses and could make additional changes or expand challenge options in future seasons.
This new rule marks a significant evolution in college basketball’s officiating structure—one that balances tradition with the modern demands of accuracy and transparency in high-stakes competition.
