NCAA, Women’s Tennis Stars Settle Landmark Prize Money Lawsuit

The NCAA has reached a settlement on a landmark class action lawsuit filed by UNC tennis star Reese Brantmeier and former University of Texas player Maya Joint.

The parties “reached agreement on material terms of a class action settlement fully resolving this action,” according to a joint motion filed Wednesday in the Middle District of North Carolina. 

The details of the settlement are not yet known, and the parties have 60 days to submit further materials on the settlement to the court.

Brantmeier’s original 2024 complaint sought to declare the NCAA’s rules restricting prize money acceptance as “illegal and unenforceable.” She filed a complaint after she won $50,000 from USTA at the 2021 US Open. 

The NCAA’s rules limit tennis student-athletes from receiving more than $10,000 a year in prize money from events not sanctioned by the NCAA. The rule states:

“Once the individual has reached the $10,000 limit in a particular year, he or she may receive additional prize money on a per-event basis, provided such prize money does not exceed the individual’s actual and necessary expenses for participation in the event.”

Joint was added onto the complaint late last year after she won $140,000 for making the second round of the 2024 US Open. She officially turned pro a few months after the Grand Slam tournament and is currently ranked No. 29 in the world.

Brantmeier, a senior at UNC, won the 2025 NCAA women’s singles championship in November.

The NCAA and its lawyers did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Lawyers for Brantmeier and Joint declined to comment. The University of North Carolina declined to comment.

Last month, Columbia University star Michael Zheng won nearly $150,000 for advancing to the second round of the Australian Open men’s singles tournament. It was unclear whether Zheng would be able to receive all of his winnings. Columbia University told Front Office Sports in January that the school was “working with the NCAA to see exactly what is permissible.”