UNC women’s tennis star reaches deal with NCAA in prize money case

February 25, 2026

North Carolina women’s tennis star Reese Brantmeier and the NCAA have reached an agreement to settle her federal class action lawsuit over prize money.

The parties told the judge in a court filing Wednesday that they “have reached agreement on material terms of a class action settlement fully resolving this action.” They asked for a 60-day pause in deadlines and proceedings to finalize the agreement in a document filed with the United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Brantmeier filed a federal lawsuit in March 2024 over the NCAA’s restrictions on individual athletes keeping prize money won in outside competitions. Brantmeier earned about $50,000 competing in the 2021 U.S. Open as a high school junior, but she was only allowed to keep $10,000 plus some expenses. WRAL NEWS