In the summer of 2019, the University of Hawaii football team awaited the debut of Michael Eletise, a former All-State offensive lineman who had recently transferred from Arizona.

And the Rainbow Warriors waited … and waited …

Six games into the 2019 season, the NCAA cleared Eletise to play. Based on a special family circumstance, Eletise was granted a waiver that enabled him to transfer between Division I schools without redshirting at the new program.

If a proposed measure is approved, a waiver no longer will be needed. This week, the NCAA Council will vote on advancing a proposal that would allow student-athletes to transfer once during their five-year eligibility window without having to sit out a year in residence. In recent years with few exceptions, only transfer students who had graduated were allowed to play immediately at their new schools.

The proposal is geared toward five so-called revenue sports — football, men’s and women’s basketball, baseball and hockey.

With the Council’s blessing, the measure would go to the NCAA’s Board of Directors for final approval. The board meets on April 28. The rule, if approved, would be available to players in good academic and disciplinary standing and would be effective as early as the 2021-22 academic year.

“I’m fine with it,” said UH baseball coach Mike Trapasso, noting his sport did not require redshirting as a conditioning of transferring until the mid-2000s. A year ago, pitcher Trevor Ichimura sought a waiver after transferring from Washington State to UH. Although WSU signed off on a release, Ichimura’s case had not been decided by the time the remainder of the ’Bows’ 2020 season was canceled because of the pandemic.

Trapasso said the majority of players leave teams because of playing time. He said others transfer because of family obligations and medical situations. “You’re going to have guys who are here, and decide it’s not the right fit for them,” Trapasso said. “If a guy doesn’t want to be in your program, why force him to stay?”

In the past five years, only one UH baseball player has transferred to another Division I program.

The proposal might accelerate a program’s development. In 2012, two quarterbacks transferred to UH. Sean Schroeder was allowed to play that season because he held a degree from Duke. Taylor Graham had to redshirt in 2012 because he had only spent two years at Ohio State.

UH basketball coach Eran Ganot said he welcomes transfers who fit with the program and Hawaii’s culture. The ’Bows have had six Division I transfers since Ganot was named head coach in 2015. (A seventh, guard Ahmed Ali, left the program during fall training in 2019 because of a medical condition.)

“This has been a great place for transfers,” Ganot said. “When I say 100% return, I’m saying 100% good players and good guys.”

Ganot said he believes the proposal will become a rule. He also noted the NCAA’s transfer portal now has about 1,350 players.

“There are situations where a transfer situation or moving on, one way or another, could make sense,” Ganot said. “The unintended consequence is when it doesn’t make sense. Our time is more put into: This is the reality of the situation, we need to be ahead of it, and we need to adapt to it. The people who do the best with adjusting and adapting will put their programs in the best positions. … The bottom line is making sure you adjust and adapt, and making sure you understand we’ve had success with transfers, and Hawaii will be a great destination for those guys.”