NCAA Tennis Prize Money Settlement, $2.02M, Who Qualifies?

Current and former NCAA Division I tennis players, and athletes who were affected by NCAA prize money restrictions, may have rights under a class action settlement that has received preliminary court approval.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has agreed to a $2.02 million damages settlement in Brantmeier v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, a federal antitrust lawsuit challenging rules that limited student-athletes’ ability to keep prize money earned in non-NCAA tennis tournaments.

The $2.02 million is not a payment pool for every tennis player. It consists of a $2,000,000 fund for eligible athletes who voluntarily forfeited tournament prize money plus $20,000 in proposed service awards, $10,000 each for the two named plaintiffs. What each athlete receives depends on how much qualifying prize money they forfeited compared with the total forfeited by all approved claimants.

The agreement also changes NCAA eligibility rules so student-athletes can accept certain performance-based prize money before initial full-time college enrollment without losing Division I eligibility.

Not every tennis player qualifies for cash. The settlement has two classes, and the requirements for money differ from those for the rule changes.

Eligible damages-class members must submit a claim by February 8, 2027, with a valid NCAA identification number and documentation of the prize money they forfeited. The opt-out and objection deadlines (September 28, 2026) have passed. The final fairness hearing is January 8, 2027, so the settlement is not yet finally approved.

NCAA Tennis Prize Money Settlement: Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Case name	Brantmeier, et al. v. National Collegiate Athletic Association
Case number	1:24-cv-00238
Court	U.S. District Court, Middle District of North Carolina
Judge	Chief District Judge Catherine C. Eagles
Named plaintiffs	Reese Brantmeier and Maya Joint
Defendant	National Collegiate Athletic Association
Main law	Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act
Total damages settlement	$2,020,000
Fund for damages-class members	$2,000,000
Named plaintiff service awards	$10,000 each, subject to court approval
Payment method	Pro-rata distribution
NCAA ID required?	Yes
Documentation required?	Yes, for each tournament with forfeited prize money
Claim deadline	February 8, 2027
Opt-out and objection deadline	September 28, 2026 (passed)
Final fairness hearing	January 8, 2027, 9:30 a.m. ET
Administrator	RG/2 Claims Administration LLC
Official website	NCAATennisPrizeMoneyClassAction.com

Why Did the NCAA Face a Tennis Prize Money Class Action?

NCAA eligibility rules restricted student-athletes from keeping prize money earned in tennis competitions outside college athletics. A talented high school player, for example, could win performance-based prize money at an outside tournament and then face a choice: keep the money or protect eligibility to play Division I college tennis. The rules also affected athletes already enrolled in college.

The plaintiffs argued that these restrictions kept tennis players from receiving the full compensation tied to their athletic performance. Their antitrust theory was that the NCAA restrained competition in the market for college tennis players’ services by limiting the financial benefits they could receive from outside competition. The NCAA denied wrongdoing and disputed those arguments.

Who Filed the NCAA Tennis Prize Money Lawsuit?

The original plaintiff was Reese Brantmeier, a University of North Carolina tennis player. Maya Joint, who played college tennis at the University of Texas before turning professional, later became a second named plaintiff. The litigation was eventually focused on Division I tennis athletes rather than athletes in every individual sport. The court appointed Brantmeier and Joint as class representatives.

Which NCAA Rules Were Challenged?

The lawsuit challenged NCAA Division I Bylaws 12.1.2.4.2, 12.1.2.4.2.1 and 12.1.2.4.2.2, which governed when tennis players could accept prize money earned outside NCAA competition. The central distinction was between reimbursed expenses and actual prize money earned based on performance.

How Did the NCAA Tennis Lawsuit Reach a $2.02 Million Settlement?

Date	Event
March 18, 2024	Brantmeier files the antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA
July 2, 2024	Brantmeier seeks a preliminary injunction
October 7, 2024	Court denies the preliminary injunction
November 2024	Plaintiffs narrow the case toward Division I tennis and add Maya Joint
February 7, 2025	Plaintiffs move for class certification
July 28, 2025	Court certifies an injunctive class and a damages class
August 25, 2025	Damages class definition amended
October 10, 2025	Mediated settlement conference
February 25, 2026	Parties agree on material settlement terms
April 28, 2026	Motion for preliminary approval filed
June 29, 2026	Judge Eagles grants preliminary approval
September 28, 2026	Opt-out and objection deadline passes
November 30, 2026	Deadline for the parties’ final approval motion
December 11, 2026	Deadline for plaintiffs’ fee, cost and service award motion
January 8, 2027	Final fairness hearing
February 8, 2027	Claim deadline

Why Did the Judge Deny the Preliminary Injunction?

On October 7, 2024, Judge Eagles denied Brantmeier’s request for a preliminary injunction. At that stage the proposed class covered athletes in several individual sports. The court recognized evidence that substantial prize money could be available to some elite athletes in sports like tennis and bowling, but found the evidence did not show an anticompetitive effect across the broader individual-sport market strongly enough to justify the injunction. The plaintiffs then narrowed the case to Division I tennis, a more specific market with athletes subject to the same restrictions.

NCAA $2.02 Million Tennis Prize Money Class Action Settlement, Who Qualifies and How to Claim Your Share

Did the Court Certify the Class?

Yes. On July 28, 2025, the court certified two classes, an injunctive relief class and a damages class, so the case could proceed for groups of athletes and not only the named plaintiffs. Certification was not a finding that the NCAA violated antitrust law, and the settlement resolved the claims without a trial on liability.

How Much Money Is Available in the NCAA Tennis Settlement?

Payment category	Amount
Fund for eligible damages-class members	$2,000,000
Reese Brantmeier service award	$10,000
Maya Joint service award	$10,000
Total damages settlement	$2,020,000

The service awards are subject to court approval. The NCAA has separately agreed to pay the following, which are not taken from the $2 million fund or from any athlete’s payment, subject to court approval and the settlement terms:

Additional expense	Amount
Attorneys’ fees requested for class counsel	$1,875,000
Reimbursement of litigation expenses	$425,000
Notice and administration costs	Up to $250,000

How Much Will Each Tennis Player Receive?

There is no guaranteed amount. The $2 million fund is divided in proportion to the qualifying prize money each approved claimant forfeited:

Individual payment = your approved forfeited prize money ÷ total approved forfeited prize money of all damages-class claimants × $2,000,000.

For example, suppose an athlete has $20,000 in approved forfeited prize money and all approved claimants together have $5 million. The athlete would represent 0.4% of the total, and the hypothetical payment would be $8,000. That is only an illustration. The real amount depends on all validated claims and the administrator’s approved calculations.

What Counts as Forfeited Prize Money?

The settlement defines Forfeited Prize Money as the tournament prize money the class member forfeited in a non-NCAA tennis tournament during the damages class period. It does not include reimbursed expenses, taxes, stipends, grants or per diems.

The administrator will determine eligible amounts using claimants’ documents, NCAA records and public information from recognized tennis organizations, including the WTA, the ATP and the Grand Slam tournaments (the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open). If a claim has a deficiency, the administrator may request more information, and the notice provides 30 days to correct an identified deficiency after notification.

Who Qualifies for the NCAA Tennis Prize Money Settlement?

There are two classes, and belonging to the injunctive class does not by itself mean you qualify for cash.

Injunctive Relief Class

This class includes people who, at any time between March 19, 2020 and the date of judgment, either competed in NCAA Division I tennis or were ineligible to compete in it because of the NCAA’s prize money restrictions. It covers athletes affected by the challenged eligibility rules. Members cannot opt out, and membership does not entitle anyone to money from the damages fund.

Damages Class

The damages class has more requirements. A person must have voluntarily forfeited prize money earned in a tennis tournament between March 19, 2020 and November 21, 2025, and must also have either competed in NCAA Division I tennis or submitted information to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Both requirements must be met.

So a prospective college player who submitted information to the Eligibility Center may qualify even if they never competed in Division I, as long as they also forfeited qualifying prize money.

Situation	Potential eligibility
Division I tennis player who forfeited tournament prize money	Yes, damages class
Former Division I player who forfeited qualifying prize money	Yes, damages class
Prospective player who submitted information to the NCAA Eligibility Center and forfeited prize money	Yes, damages class
Division I athlete affected by the rules who did not forfeit money	Possible injunctive class only; no forfeiture-based damages claim
Player who accepted and kept all prize money	Does not meet the forfeiture requirement
Division II or III player who never submitted to the Eligibility Center	Does not meet the stated class criteria
Player who forfeited prize money after November 21, 2025	Outside the damages class period

The settlement does not impose a general state-residency requirement. Eligibility depends on the class definitions, NCAA participation or Eligibility Center history, and qualifying forfeiture.

What Documents Do You Need to File an NCAA Tennis Settlement Claim?

A valid claim needs a valid NCAA identification number and adequate documentation for each tournament in which you forfeited prize money. Useful records include official prize money statements, tournament results showing the prize awarded, emails or letters explaining the forfeiture, correspondence with the NCAA or your college, records showing the amount declined or surrendered, and relevant WTA, ATP or Grand Slam records. The administrator can compare these against NCAA records and public tournament data.

Showing that you played in a tournament does not by itself prove how much prize money you forfeited. The claim has to establish the qualifying amount.

What If You Do Not Know Your NCAA ID Number?

The administrator can help you find it. Contact RG/2 Claims Administration at 1-866-742-4955 or [email protected]. Its help is free.

How to File an NCAA Tennis Prize Money Settlement Claim

Official website: NCAATennisPrizeMoneyClassAction.com
Claim portal: Submit the NCAA Tennis Prize Money Claim
Survey form: Open the NCAA Settlement Survey Form

Check your eligibility. Confirm you voluntarily forfeited prize money between March 19, 2020 and November 21, 2025, and that you competed in Division I tennis or submitted information to the NCAA Eligibility Center.
Find your NCAA ID. Contact the administrator if you do not know it.
Gather tournament records. Keep separate records for each tournament so amounts can be verified.
Complete the electronic claim form. Provide your identity and NCAA information, identify the tournaments and upload supporting documents.
Review before submitting. Check amounts, dates and records. An incomplete claim may lead to a request for more evidence.
Submit by February 8, 2027. Save your confirmation and records.

You do not need to pay anyone to file. The administrator and class counsel help free of charge.

Important NCAA Tennis Settlement Deadlines

Event	Date
Start of damages class period	March 19, 2020
End of damages class period	November 21, 2025
Rule changes effective	February 25, 2026
Opt-out deadline	September 28, 2026 (passed)
Objection deadline	September 28, 2026 (passed)
Final approval motion deadline	November 30, 2026
Fee and service award motion	December 11, 2026
Final fairness hearing	January 8, 2027, 9:30 a.m. ET
Claim deadline	February 8, 2027

Someone who properly opted out of the damages class will not receive a payment but may preserve an individual damages claim over the released claims. The injunctive class cannot opt out. The objection deadline has also passed.

January 8, 2027: Final Fairness Hearing

Judge Eagles will hold the hearing at the L. Richardson Preyer Courthouse, 324 W. Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27401-2544, at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The court will decide whether the settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate and whether to grant final approval. Class members do not need to attend.

February 8, 2027: Claim Deadline

The court may extend the deadline, but do not assume an extension unless it is officially announced.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

Damages class: unless you previously opted out, you remain bound by the settlement and release the covered damages claims against the NCAA and other released parties, but you receive no payment without an approved claim.

Injunctive relief class: you remain bound even if you file no claim, and you cannot opt out.

If you are in both classes, you receive the injunctive relief but must file a valid claim to share in the damages fund. This matters most for athletes who were affected by the rules but never actually forfeited prize money.

What Does the NCAA Settlement Change About Eligibility Rules?

The NCAA agreed to eliminate certain restrictions on student-athletes accepting prize money earned before initial full-time college enrollment. Under the revised rule, an individual may, before initial full-time collegiate enrollment, accept prize money based on place finish or performance in an athletic event, provided it comes from the event’s sponsor as defined in the rule. The change took effect February 25, 2026, when the parties signed their initial term sheet, and the NCAA updated its bylaws. After final approval, the NCAA will be enjoined from reinstating the former pre-enrollment restrictions.

Can Current NCAA Tennis Players Keep All Their Prize Money Now?

No. The settlement changes the rules for prize money earned before initial full-time enrollment. It does not remove the restrictions that apply after an athlete has enrolled full-time. NCAA Bylaw 12.1.2.4.2.2 continues to apply to Division I tennis players after enrollment, so a prospective player and an enrolled player can face different rules.

What Laws Apply to the NCAA Tennis Prize Money Lawsuit?

Sherman Antitrust Act, Section 1 (15 U.S.C. § 1)

Section 1 prohibits contracts, combinations and conspiracies that unreasonably restrain interstate trade or commerce. The plaintiffs argued the NCAA and its member schools used collective eligibility rules to restrict how college tennis players could be paid for their athletic performance. The NCAA denied that, and the settlement resolves the claims with no decision that it violated Section 1.

The Rule of Reason and NCAA v. Alston

Courts usually judge NCAA rules under the “rule of reason,” weighing a restraint’s anticompetitive effects against its procompetitive justifications. In NCAA v. Alston, 594 U.S. 69 (2021), the Supreme Court applied that analysis to NCAA limits on education-related benefits and rejected the idea that the NCAA’s amateurism interest exempts it from antitrust law. Plaintiffs challenging NCAA compensation rules generally build on that framework. Alston was not a prize money case, and it did not decide this one.

Clayton Act: Damages and Injunctions (15 U.S.C. §§ 15 and 26)

The Clayton Act lets a person injured in their business or property by an antitrust violation sue for damages, which are trebled if the plaintiff wins (§ 15), and for injunctive relief (§ 26). A plaintiff must show “antitrust injury,” meaning harm of the kind the antitrust laws were meant to prevent, a standard from Brunswick Corp. v. Pueblo Bowl-O-Mat, Inc., 429 U.S. 477 (1977). Antitrust claims also face a four-year limitations period (15 U.S.C. § 15b), which is relevant to the March 19, 2020 start of the damages class period measured back from the March 18, 2024 filing.

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23

Rule 23 governs federal class actions. A class must satisfy Rule 23(a): numerosity, commonality, typicality and adequacy of representation. The injunctive class fits Rule 23(b)(2), which is why members cannot opt out, and the damages class fits Rule 23(b)(3), where common questions must predominate and a class action must be superior to other methods, with notice and an opt-out right. Rule 23(e) requires court approval of a class settlement after notice, with the court asking whether it is fair, reasonable and adequate, and Rule 23(h) governs the fee request. The court certified both classes on July 28, 2025.

Class Action Fairness Act Notice (28 U.S.C. § 1715)

When a class settlement is proposed, CAFA requires defendants to notify the appropriate federal and state officials, and a court generally cannot grant final approval until 90 days after that notice. This is one reason there is a gap between preliminary approval and the final fairness hearing.

Damages Dispute

The plaintiffs’ expert estimated class damages at about $2,860,884. The NCAA argued the class suffered no antitrust injury and that the expert’s calculations were unreliable and overstated. The parties settled for $2.02 million instead of going to trial. That does not mean the NCAA admitted liability or that the court accepted the plaintiffs’ estimate.

Has the NCAA Admitted Wrongdoing?

No. The settlement notice states the NCAA denies the allegations. The agreement avoids the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation. Preliminary approval is not a judgment on liability.

When Will NCAA Tennis Settlement Payments Arrive?

No payment date has been confirmed. The administrator will pay claims after the court grants final approval, objections and appeals are resolved, a final judgment is entered, claims are validated and allocations are calculated. The notice says payments will be made promptly once final approval becomes final. The January 8, 2027 hearing is the next major court event, but filing a claim does not mean money arrives right after it.

Who Represents the Athletes?

Class counsel includes attorneys from Milberg PLLC, Bryson Harris Suciu & DeMay PLLC and Miller Monroe Holton & Plyler PLLC. The class representatives are Reese Brantmeier and Maya Joint.

RG/2 Claims Administration LLC Brantmeier v. NCAA Settlement P.O. Box 59479 Philadelphia, PA 19102-9479 Telephone: 1-866-742-4955 Email: [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions About the NCAA Tennis Prize Money Settlement

Is there really a $2.02 million NCAA tennis settlement?

Yes. The total includes a $2 million fund for eligible damages-class members and proposed $10,000 service awards for each of the two named plaintiffs. Attorneys’ fees and litigation expenses are separate.

Who qualifies for the NCAA tennis settlement?

People who voluntarily forfeited prize money in a tennis tournament between March 19, 2020 and November 21, 2025 and either competed in Division I tennis or submitted information to the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Can high school tennis players qualify?

Potentially. A prospective player who submitted information to the NCAA Eligibility Center and forfeited qualifying prize money may meet the damages-class definition even without playing Division I tennis.

Do I have to be a current NCAA player?

No. Former Division I players can qualify if they meet the damages-class requirements.

How much money will I receive?

There is no fixed payment. It is calculated from your approved forfeited prize money relative to the total approved across all claimants.

Do I need an NCAA ID number?

Yes. Every damages claim needs a valid NCAA ID. The administrator can help you find yours.

Do I need documentation?

Yes, for each tournament in which you forfeited prize money.

Can athletes who never forfeited prize money get paid?

Not under the damages-class definition, though they may be in the injunctive class and benefit from the rule changes.

Can current college athletes now accept unlimited tennis prize money?

No. The change concerns prize money earned before initial full-time enrollment. Restrictions after full-time enrollment remain.

What is the NCAA settlement claim deadline?

February 8, 2027. The court may extend it, but file on time unless an extension is officially announced.

Has the court finally approved the settlement?

No. Preliminary approval was granted June 29, 2026, and the fairness hearing is January 8, 2027.

Does the settlement cover Division II and III players?

The classes concern Division I tennis and people who meet the stated requirements. Division II or III participation alone does not establish eligibility.

Is this settlement about NIL payments?

Not directly. This case concerns outside tournament prize money and eligibility restrictions. Name, image and likeness compensation is a separate area of college sports regulation.

Related NCAA Lawsuits and Settlements

Other NCAA cases covered on AllAboutLawyer include NCAA Division III Scholarship Lawsuit, Athletes Sue Over the Ban on Athletic Scholarships (Printz v. NCAA) and NCAA Volunteer Coach $303M Settlement You Worked For Free ??. They are separate matters with different eligibility requirements and legal claims.

Official Settlement Documents and Legal Sources

Update log: November 10, 2026 — Article published. Settlement preliminarily approved; final fairness hearing January 8, 2027.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney. Settlement benefits, eligibility and payment amounts are governed by the official settlement documents and any later court orders. The NCAA denies the allegations in the underlying lawsuit. AllAboutLawyer.com is an independent legal-information website, not a law firm, and does not represent athletes or class members in this case.

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official settlement website and long-form notice, the June 29, 2026 preliminary approval order, the settlement papers and class certification order in Case No. 1:24-cv-00238, the Sherman and Clayton Acts and Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23, as of November 10, 2026. Last Updated: November 10, 2026.

About the Author

Israr Ahmad is a legal content researcher with 4+ years of experience covering class action settlements and consumer rights cases. He has researched and published coverage of 2,500+ settlements using verified court records, settlement administrator filings, and government sources. Learn more about Israr.