A landmark legal settlement could reshape the pathway from junior tennis to the college game after a federal judge granted preliminary approval to an antitrust agreement requiring the NCAA to eliminate long-standing restrictions on pre-college prize money while establishing a $2 million compensation fund for affected athletes.
The settlement stems from the class-action lawsuit Brantmeier and Joint v. National Collegiate Athletic Association, led by former Reese Brantmeier and professional player Maya Joint. The plaintiffs challenged NCAA eligibility rules that required prospective student-athletes to forfeit much of the prize money earned in professional and non-NCAA tournaments before enrolling in college.
Under the agreement, the NCAA has already eliminated its rule preventing student-athletes in all sports from retaining prize money earned prior to college enrollment. The organization will also establish a $2 million settlement fund for eligible high school and collegiate tennis players who can demonstrate they forfeited prize money between March 19, 2020, and Nov. 21, 2025. Claims are scheduled to open July 13, while class members have until Sept. 28 to opt out or object before a final approval hearing set for Jan. 8, 2027.
The case drew national attention after Brantmeier earned approximately $50,000 at the US Open in 2021 but, under then-current NCAA rules, was permitted to retain only $10,000 plus qualifying expenses to preserve her collegiate eligibility. Joint faced similar restrictions before leaving the University of Texas to pursue a professional career.
While the settlement primarily addresses tennis, its significance extends well beyond the sport. It marks another major shift in the NCAA’s evolving approach to athlete compensation following recent changes involving name, image and likeness (NIL) rights. For elite junior tennis players, the revised policy removes a longstanding financial hurdle that often forced athletes to choose between maximizing professional tournament earnings and maintaining NCAA eligibility.
