NCAA, UNC tennis player nearing agreement to settle class-action suit

The NCAA and a University of North Carolina tennis player are currently in the process of finalizing a settlement agreement that aims to put an end to the player’s ongoing class-action lawsuit challenging the governing agency’s regulations concerning prize money in college sports.

Legal representatives for both the NCAA and Reese Brantmeier have submitted a court document indicating that they have come to an agreement on key terms of a settlement, with the intention of resolving the dispute fully. As a result, they are requesting a 60-day extension for all legal proceedings and deadlines related to the case to allow time for finalizing the settlement and preparing necessary materials for court approval.

Brantmeier, along with former University of Texas player Maya Joint, took legal action against the NCAA’s prohibition on college tennis players receiving prize money from tournaments like the United States Open. This legal challenge has the potential to impact thousands of current and former collegiate athletes.

The lawsuit, set to go to trial in November 2026, presents Brantmeier as a pivotal figure, having clinched the NCAA women’s singles tennis championship in November of the previous year. Despite the trial scheduled for later this year, lawyers representing both parties have hinted that a trial may not be necessary following a mediated settlement conference held in October 2025.

Revealed in a court filing from December, the engaged parties expressed their commitment to ongoing settlement discussions following the mediated conference. This positive development comes after Chief US District Judge Catherine Eagles issued an order in July 2025 that certified two classes of potential plaintiffs in the case, emphasizing the representations and interests of both Brantmeier and Joint.

With an estimated 17,000 individuals coming under the classification of potential plaintiffs, predominantly comprising those registered with the NCAA’s eligibility center between January 2021 to August 2025, the legal dispute explores the perceived violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act by the NCAA, focusing on the restrictions placed on prize money acceptance by Division I tennis athletes.

Highlighting the limitations imposed on Division I college tennis players by NCAA regulations, the lawsuit contends that prospects can only accept a maximum of $10,000 in prize money annually, in addition to necessary expenses, that mirror actual costs incurred during tournament participation. Brantmeier initiated the lawsuit in 2024 after having to forfeit a substantial portion of the prize money she earned at the US Open.

The legal action, spearheaded by Brantmeier and Joint, shines a spotlight on the firm stance taken by the NCAA to uphold amateurism regulations and restrict the acceptance of prize money by Tennis Student-Athletes. Despite longstanding bylaws prohibiting the acceptance of monetary prizes, the ongoing legal battle seeks to secure redress for past forfeited amounts and aims to abolish the NCAA’s stringent regulations concerning prize money acceptance in non-NCAA tennis competitions.