Tennis players who gave up tournament winnings to stay NCAA-eligible — including juniors who forfeited prize money before ever enrolling — can file claims against a $2 million fund starting July 13.
What Is This Settlement About?
The NCAA agreed to a $2 million class action settlement in Brantmeier v. NCAA, a federal antitrust case in the Middle District of North Carolina challenging the association's rule that forced tennis players to forfeit prize money won at professional and open events in order to keep their college eligibility. The named plaintiff, North Carolina tennis player Reese Brantmeier, sued in 2024 after forfeiting winnings from events she played as a junior. Judge Catherine C. Eagles granted preliminary approval in an order announced July 2, 2026. The NCAA denies wrongdoing.The lawsuit already changed the rules on the ground: during the litigation the NCAA eliminated its pre-enrollment prize money forfeiture rule — across all sports, not just tennis. The settlement now adds a damages fund for the tennis athletes who gave up winnings under the old rule.
Who Qualifies?
The settlement class covers high school and college tennis athletes who forfeited prize money won at professional or open tennis events between March 19, 2020 and November 21, 2025 to comply with NCAA amateurism rules. Court filings estimate roughly 12,000 Division I tennis athletes and players ruled ineligible fall within the class — including juniors who won money at events like ITF and UTR tournaments or Grand Slam qualifying before enrolling in college and had to give it up.How Much Can You Get?
Payments come from the $2 million damages fund and will depend on how much prize money each claimant forfeited and how many valid claims are filed. This is a documented-forfeiture settlement, not a flat-payment one: the notice directs class members to keep records of the winnings they gave up. Tournament results, correspondence about forfeiture, and prize-money statements are the kinds of documentation to gather before the window opens.Beyond the fund, the settlement locks in the injunctive relief the case already produced — the NCAA's elimination of the pre-enrollment prize money forfeiture requirement, which now benefits athletes in every sport.
Key Dates
- July 13, 2026 — claims period opens on the official settlement website, run by RG/2 Claims Administration.
- September 28, 2026 — deadline to opt out of the class or object to the settlement.
- January 8, 2027 — final fairness hearing before Judge Eagles in Greensboro, North Carolina.
The claim-filing deadline itself will be published on the official settlement site when claims open — check there after July 13 and file early rather than waiting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who qualifies for the NCAA tennis prize money settlement?
High school and college tennis athletes who forfeited prize money they won at professional or open tennis events between March 19, 2020 and November 21, 2025 in order to comply with NCAA amateurism rules. Court filings estimate the class covers roughly 12,000 Division I tennis athletes and players ruled ineligible.
How much can athletes get from the NCAA tennis settlement?
The settlement creates a $2 million damages fund. Individual payments will depend on how much prize money each claimant forfeited and how many valid claims are filed. Claimants will need records showing the prize money they gave up, so gather tournament results and forfeiture documentation before filing.
When do claims open for the NCAA tennis settlement?
The claims period opens July 13, 2026 on the official settlement website. The deadline to opt out or object is September 28, 2026, and the final fairness hearing is set for January 8, 2027 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Check the official site for the claim-filing deadline once the window opens.
Did the NCAA change its prize money rules?
Yes. As part of the litigation, the NCAA eliminated its rule requiring athletes to forfeit prize money won before college enrollment — a change that applies across all sports, not just tennis. The settlement resolves the damages claims for tennis athletes who forfeited winnings under the old rule.
Sources
• Official settlement website — NCAA Tennis Prize Money Class Action• PR Newswire — Federal court grants preliminary approval of NCAA tennis prize money settlement (July 2, 2026)
• ESPN — NCAA tennis prize money settlement coverage
• Sportico — What the NCAA's new prize money rules mean
