(BCSNN) — Oklahoma linebacker Owen Heinecke has been granted a preliminary injunction allowing him to regain an additional year of eligibility for the 2026 season, a district court judge ruled after a daylong emergency hearing in Cleveland County.

Judge Thad Balkman determined that the NCAA failed to fully consider the circumstances surrounding Heinecke’s freshman year at Ohio State, when he appeared in three lacrosse games during the 2021–22 academic year. The ruling paves the way for the former walk‑on to return for a fifth season and rejoin one of the SEC’s most experienced linebacker groups.

Heinecke, who emerged as a breakout performer in 2025, finished as Oklahoma’s second‑leading tackler on the nation’s No. 3 run defense and helped lead the Sooners to their first College Football Playoff appearance since 2019. He is expected to line up alongside veteran Kip Lewis and Michigan transfer Cole Sullivan this fall.

Thursday’s decision appears to close a months‑long eligibility dispute that escalated after the NCAA denied both Heinecke’s initial waiver request and his appeal earlier this year. With his eligibility in doubt, Heinecke began preparing for the NFL draft, participating in the scouting combine in February and Oklahoma’s pro day in March while continuing his legal challenge.

On March 23, Heinecke filed suit against the NCAA, arguing that his eligibility clock should not have started at Ohio State because he never had the opportunity to join the Buckeyes’ football program. His attorneys cited COVID‑19 disruptions, recovery from a high school injury and Ohio State’s decision to delay walk‑on tryouts until spring 2022 as factors outside his control.

Heinecke transferred to Oklahoma in fall 2022, redshirted his first season and went on to appear in 39 games over the next three years. His 2025 campaign included 74 tackles, five starts and AP All‑SEC second‑team honors.

During Thursday’s hearing, NCAA attorneys argued that Heinecke’s eligibility began the moment he competed in lacrosse at Ohio State, asserting that he voluntarily chose a path that limited his football years. Balkman disagreed, siding with Heinecke’s interpretation of the timeline.

“We’re grateful for today’s decision,” Oklahoma athletic director Roger Denny said in a statement. “This is a fair outcome for a young man who has handled this process with integrity and resilience.”

The ruling adds to a growing list of high‑profile eligibility cases challenging the NCAA’s authority. Last month, Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss was cleared to play in 2026 after the Mississippi Supreme Court denied the NCAA’s appeal. However, the organization has also secured recent legal victories, including cases involving former Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar and ex‑Virginia passer Chandler Morris, whose injunction requests were denied.

For Oklahoma, Thursday’s decision brings clarity — and a key defensive leader — back into the fold as the Sooners prepare for their second season in the SEC.