The NCAA has settled a lawsuit filed by UNC women’s tennis star Reese Brantmeier which took issue with the organization’s restrictions on student-athletes accepting prize money in non-NCAA events before enrolling in college.

Under the terms of the settlement, the Associated Press reports the NCAA will pay more than $2 million in damages to both Brantmeier, currently in her senior season at UNC, and former Texas tennis player Maya Joint. The AP also reports the elimination of prize money restrictions will apply to student-athletes in all sports, not just tennis.

Brantmeier originally filed her complaint in March of 2024, accusing the NCAA of being in violation of antitrust laws. Brantmeier had competed in the 2021 U.S. Open as a high schooler but was only allowed to keep $10,000 of her prize money, which was substantially more.

Brantmeier has distinguished herself as one of the most accomplished players in the history of the UNC women’s tennis program. She was recently named ACC Player of the Year for a second consecutive season and won the 2025 NCAA Singles championship last November, becoming only the second Tar Heel in history to do so. As a freshman in 2023, Brantmeier helped UNC win its first ever NCAA team title. This season, she is 15-2 in singles and 19-4 in doubles.

Brantmeier’s lawsuit is not the first time a UNC women’s tennis star has been at odds with the NCAA over prize money. In 2023, Fiona Crawley qualified for the U.S. Open in both the singles and doubles draws but was forced to turn down most of her $81,000 in winnings in order to stay within NCAA rules and be eligible for UNC’s upcoming season. A digital platform known as myNILpay eventually began a grassroots effort to accept donations from UNC fans and alumni to Crawley in order to recoup her losses. Crawley, who had won National Player of the Year honors the previous season, graduated in 2024.

Brantmeier and the UNC women’s tennis team are set to begin NCAA Tournament play at the Chewning Tennis Center in Chapel Hill this weekend. The Tar Heels are the No. 5 overall seed in the field and will host Charleston Southern in the tournament’s first round Friday at 4 p.m.

 

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jeffrey A. Camarati

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