NCAA $303 Million Volunteer Coach Settlement Gets Final Approval You Have Until June 2 to Claim Your Share

The Ray et al. v. NCAA volunteer coach settlement is a $303 million wage-fixing class action that pays former NCAA Division I volunteer coaches — in all sports except baseball — a minimum of $5,000 for working without pay under a rule the NCAA repealed in 2023. Judge William B. Shubb granted final approval on May 12, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California. The claim deadline is June 2, 2026.

Quick Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	$303,000,000
Claim Deadline	June 2, 2026 — no extensions announced
Who Qualifies	Division I volunteer coaches (non-baseball) from March 17, 2019 to June 30, 2023
Minimum Payout	$5,000 per eligible claimant (before fees and costs)
Average Payout	~$39,000–$40,000 (before fees)
Proof Required	No — your school’s records auto-populate your claim form
Settlement Status	Finally Approved — May 12, 2026
Case Name & Number	Ray et al. v. NCAA, No. 1:23-cv-00425 (E.D. Cal.)
Official Claim Website	ncaavolunteercoachlawsuit.com
Settlement Administrator	A.B. Data Ltd., PO Box 173059, Milwaukee, WI 53217
Last Updated	May 14, 2026

Current Status

• Final approval granted by Judge William B. Shubb on May 12, 2026
• The NCAA will pay $101 million annually for three years (2026–2028), with 60% ($60.6 million) coming from reductions to NCAA Division I revenue distributions and 40% ($40.4 million) coming from the NCAA national office
• Payments will not distribute until after any appeals are resolved
• June 2, 2026 is the hard claim deadline — class members who do not file by that date may not receive compensation

What Is the Ray v. NCAA Lawsuit About? Ray et al. v. NCAA, No. 1:23-cv-00425-WBS-CSK (E.D. Cal.)

From 1992 to July 2023, the NCAA and its member schools agreed to cap the number of paid coaches for Division I sports. Certain sports teams were allowed one “volunteer coach” who would not be paid and who was restricted from receiving other benefits. The NCAA punished schools that violated that rule.

The lawsuit, filed in March 2023, accused the NCAA of running what plaintiffs called a “buyer-side cartel” — member schools are competing businesses, and when they collectively agree to pay a category of workers nothing, that is price-fixing. The complaint alleged the NCAA’s actions fixed compensation “at the artificially low level of zero” and eliminated competition for skilled labor in the coaching market, calling it a violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act.

Many of these coaches were not part-time helpers. Katherine Sebbane, one of the named plaintiffs, coached softball at the University of Pittsburgh from 2019 until 2021. She was paid about $25,000 to run youth camps and recruiting events — but she also worked about 40 hours a week as a volunteer assistant coach, for which she received nothing. She eventually gave up coaching entirely. If you held a similar role between 2019 and 2023, you are likely part of this settlement. For a broader look at how antitrust claims have reshaped college sports, see our coverage of the Riley Gaines transgender NCAA lawsuit, which involves a separate set of NCAA rules currently under legal challenge.

Related article: Palisades Fire Lawsuit, California State Parks Allegedly Withheld Text Messages Showing Embers Were Still Burning

Who Qualifies for the Ray v. NCAA Volunteer Coach Settlement?

The settlement covers all persons who, for any period of time between March 17, 2019, and June 30, 2023, worked for an NCAA Division I sports program other than baseball in the position of “volunteer coach,” as designated by NCAA Bylaws.

You may qualify if:

• You served as a designated volunteer coach at any NCAA Division I program between March 17, 2019 and June 30, 2023
• Your sport was anything other than baseball — swimming, track and field, volleyball, softball, soccer, tennis, lacrosse, and dozens of others all qualify
• You were officially designated a “volunteer coach” under NCAA Bylaws — not just an unpaid helper, but someone formally holding that NCAA-defined title

You do not qualify if:

• You coached baseball — that group settled separately in Smart v. NCAA for $49.25 million, approved in September 2025
• You coached football or men’s and women’s basketball — volunteer coaches were not allowed in those sports under NCAA rules
• You worked outside the March 17, 2019 to June 30, 2023 class period entirely
• You already excluded yourself from the class before the March 21, 2026 opt-out deadline

How Much Can You Get from the Ray v. NCAA Settlement?

Class counsel estimates the average settlement amount will be about $40,000, with many volunteer coaches receiving more than $100,000, depending on their school, sport, and number of years coached. The minimum payment for every eligible claimant who files a valid claim is $5,000, before fees and costs.

Your individual payout is calculated by a court-appointed expert using a specific formula. The expert calculates a “Recognized Loss” for each six-month period you coached, based on the wages paid to the lowest-paid coach on your team who was not designated as a volunteer during that period. A “stepdown” is then applied to account for the fact that volunteer coach positions were lower on the hierarchy than paid staff.

Your payout goes up if you coached for multiple years, at a school with better-paid staff, or in a sport where comparable coaches were paid more. If you coached at multiple Division I programs during the class period, you receive credit for each.

The settlement administrator will use records already obtained from your school to auto-populate your claim form, so you do not need to dig up old contracts or pay stubs to file. Your claim ID and identification number came on a postcard mailed to eligible coaches — check your records.

Step-by-Step: How to File Your Ray v. NCAA Claim Form

Step 1 — Go to the official claim website: ncaavolunteercoachlawsuit.com — no other site is authorized

Step 2 — Enter the unique claim ID and identification number from the postcard mailed to you by the settlement administrator, A.B. Data Ltd.

Step 3 — Review your pre-populated claim information (school, sport, years coached) drawn from records already obtained from your program

Step 4 — Correct any errors or add any periods of service not reflected in the pre-populated data; have documentation of your coaching role ready in case discrepancies arise

Step 5 — Submit your completed claim form online; alternatively, mail a printed form postmarked no later than June 2, 2026, to: Ray v. NCAA Volunteer Coach Settlement, c/o A.B. Data Ltd., PO Box 173059, Milwaukee, WI 53217

Step 6 — Save your confirmation of claim receipt — the administrator will send one acknowledging your submission and explaining next steps

Estimated time to complete: 10–15 minutes online.

There is no fee to file. There is no requirement to hire a lawyer. If you need help, contact the claims administrator directly at 877-390-3148 or [email protected].

Important Deadlines and Dates

Milestone	Date
Lawsuit Filed	March 2023
NCAA Volunteer Coach Rule Repealed	July 1, 2023
Settlement Agreement Reached	November 2025
Preliminary Approval Granted	January 6, 2026
Opt-Out / Objection Deadline	March 21, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	May 11, 2026
Final Approval Granted	May 12, 2026
Claim Filing Deadline	June 2, 2026
First Payment to NCAA (Year 1)	2026 — within 30 days of final approval becoming effective after any appeals
Subsequent Payments	2027 and 2028
Expected Payment Distribution to Coaches	TBD — after any appeals are resolved and claims are processed

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a claim in the Ray v. NCAA settlement? 

No. The official claim website at ncaavolunteercoachlawsuit.com walks you through the process in minutes. There is no filing fee. The administrator’s helpline at 877-390-3148 can assist you at no cost. Class counsel — Gustafson Gluek PLLC, Fairmark Partners LLP, and Kirby McInerney LLP — represents all eligible class members.

Is this settlement legitimate?

 Yes. Judge William B. Shubb of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California granted final approval on May 12, 2026. The only official claim website is ncaavolunteercoachlawsuit.com. The administrator is A.B. Data Ltd. Do not submit personal information to any other site claiming to be associated with this settlement.

When will I receive my payment from the NCAA settlement? 

The NCAA will pay $101 million per year in three annual installments from 2026 through 2028. Payments to individual coaches will not begin until after any appeals of the final approval order are resolved and the claims processing is complete. No specific payment date to coaches has been announced.

What if I missed the claim deadline?

 Class members who do not file by June 2 may not be eligible to receive compensation from the settlement. The deadline is a hard cutoff established by the court. If you have not yet filed, go to ncaavolunteercoachlawsuit.com immediately.

Will my NCAA settlement payment affect my taxes?

 Potentially yes. Settlement payments that compensate for lost wages are generally treated as taxable income by the IRS and must be reported on your federal tax return. The tax treatment of your specific payment may depend on how it is characterized. Consult a tax professional before filing if your payout is significant. For a general overview of how settlement taxation works, see our guide on whether lawsuit settlements are taxable.

I coached baseball at a Division I school during this period — do I have a separate claim?

 Yes. A parallel action pertaining only to Division I baseball coaches, Smart v. NCAA, reached a settlement in September 2025. That case settled for $49.25 million. If you have not yet filed in the baseball settlement, check the status of that case at a separate official site — the Ray settlement does not cover baseball.

I coached at multiple Division I schools. Do I get credit for all of them? 

Yes. Your payout is calculated based on each six-month period you worked as a volunteer coach, and the formula accounts for multiple schools and multiple years of service within the class period.

Why did it take until 2026 for coaches to receive anything? 

The NCAA vigorously contested the lawsuit after it was filed in March 2023. In July 2023, Judge Shubb denied the NCAA’s motion to dismiss, finding that plaintiffs had alleged facts sufficient to show a violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act. Settlement negotiations followed, a deal was reached in November 2025, preliminary approval came in January 2026, and final approval arrived May 12, 2026. The process from filing to final approval took approximately three years.

Sources & References

• Official Settlement Website: ncaavolunteercoachlawsuit.com
• NCAA.org — NCAA Finalizes Payment Structure for Ray Settlement, February 19, 2026: ncaa.org

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the official settlement website, NCAA.org, and federal court records. Last Updated: May 14, 2026.