‘One of the Most Transformational Things in College Athletics’: Jay Vidovich, Chase Brooks react to NCAA’s DI Men’s Soccer year-round model

Special thanks to PSN’s Zachary Weiss, who contributed to this article

The long-debated campaign to transform Division I men’s college soccer into a year-round, two-semester sport took a monumental step forward this week when the NCAA Division I Cabinet affirmed a landmark proposal to shift the playing season to a split fall-and-spring model, capped by a national championship in May starting in the 2027–28 academic year.

NCAA moves one step closer to year-round Men’s Soccer model: what does this mean for Pitt, Duquesne, Robert Morris, USL, and the American soccer ecosystem

Because the measure passed the Cabinet with less than a 75 percent supermajority vote, it now enters a mandatory 30-day rescission period during which member institutions can vote to block it. If two-thirds of Division I voting members—at least 245 schools or conferences—do not vote to defeat the legislation, the collegiate calendar will undergo its most radical restructuring in modern history.

For local Division I head coaches who have spent years navigating the physical strain of the traditional autumn sprint, the prospective shift is being hailed as a long-overdue victory for student-athlete welfare and player development.

Pitt men’s soccer head coach Jay Vidovich, who has long been one of the nation’s most vocal proponents of the two-semester framework, believes the decision marks a watershed moment for the sport. Vidovich emphasized that shifting to a model featuring up to 18 games in the fall and 10 in the spring—maintaining a 25-game regular-season cap—allows programs to adopt a professional “one match per week” schedule that drastically reduces injury risks and academic stress.

“It still has to go through another vote to pass through, but I think it’s probably one of the most transformational things that will happen in college athletics—maybe in the history of college athletics—to put us in our proper spot to be able to train and play a game a week, and improve the lives of the student-athletes academically and athletically,” Vidovich told Pittsburgh Soccer Now after Pitt’s 3-0 win vs Virginia Tech on Friday.

“It’s just really exciting. The ability even just to grow the championship—to have the championship in May versus late December—is a big thing. It’s tremendous progress for our sport.”

Across town on the Bluff, Duquesne University head coach Chase Brooks echoed Vidovich’s sentiments, framing the current autumn schedule as an antiquated gauntlet that prioritizes physical endurance over athletic and tactical growth.

“It’s long overdue, especially from a health and safety aspect for the student-athletes,” Brooks said. “No other sport with the same type of demands of its athletes asks them to play a game, then asks them to do it two days later, and again, do it three days later. It’s asinine. The fall has been ‘survival of the fittest’ in men’s soccer for decades now. This gives us a chance to truly showcase our sport and educate our student-athletes. There can be a level that can be used as development, not just about results.”

While the proposed calendar change brings Division I men’s soccer into closer alignment with professional standards, its ripple effects will reshape the broader American soccer ecosystem. Major League Soccer and NCAA Division I men’s soccer will become the sole domestic platforms crowning champions in late spring, creating a structural divide with lower collegiate divisions—such as Division II, Division III, NAIA, and JUCO—which will remain anchored to the traditional fall season.

Furthermore, the shift will likely drastically alter summer pre-professional circuits like USL League Two, which have historically relied on Division I talent from May through August. With the NCAA tournament running into May and the notification-of-transfer window opening immediately following the College Cup, professional clubs in USL Championship and USL League One will likely have to adjust their talent acquisition strategies, waiting until January pre-season training camps the following year to integrate newly signed collegiate prospects.

Meanwhile, the Division I Women’s Soccer Oversight Committee reviewed the year-round framework but declined to propose a similar move, leaving women’s collegiate soccer on its established fall schedule—a divergence Brooks noted is “above my paygrade,” while reinforcing that the focus for men’s programs remains squarely on doing what is right for player safety.

The primary friction surrounding the proposal stems from mid-major and smaller Division I programs, where administrators and athletic directors have raised concerns over multi-semester travel budgets, staffing strain, and facility scheduling bottlenecks alongside spring sports like lacrosse, track and field, baseball, and softball. However, Brooks believes many of those operational hurdles can be solved through practical scheduling adjustments and budget reallocation.

“I don’t think it’s all that difficult to manage,” Brooks explained regarding administrative and facility logistics.

“We’ve been playing in two semesters anyway; now the games would just be more spread out. Spring will now be treated like what the fall is like, but we’ll have a little more time and get it right. I don’t think there will be a lot of changes. It’s going to save us money on the front end, and that’s money we’ll use in the spring. It’s not going to be unmanageable on Rooney Field. For years, most places have pinched pennies when it comes to Olympic sports, and that’s the same mindset that we’re in. Those that want to solve the problems will solve the problems.”

As the 30-day rescission period begins, the oversight committee is already working alongside NCAA staff and television broadcast partners to map out spring championship broadcast windows. Whether mid-major coalitions can rally the 245 votes necessary to rescind the rule remains to be seen, but as local leaders like Vidovich and Brooks have made clear, the momentum behind a modern, student-first calendar has never been stronger.

John Krysinsky

John Krysinsky has covered soccer and other sports for many years for various publications and media outlets. He is also author of 'Miracle on the Mon' -- a book about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, which chronicles the club, particularly the early years of Highmark Stadium with the narrative leading up to and centered around a remarkable match that helped provide a spark for the franchise. John has covered sports for Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, DK Pittsburgh Sports, Pittsburgh Sports Report, has served as color commentator on Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC broadcasts, and worked with OPTA Stats and broadcast teams for US Open Cup and International Champions Cup matches held in the US. Krysinsky also served as the Head Men’s Soccer Coach at his alma mater, Point Park University, where he led the Pioneers to the first-ever winning seasons and playoff berths (1996-98); head coach of North Catholic boys (2007-08), associate head coach of Shady Side Academy boys (2009-2014).