A federal judge has granted final approval to the NCAA’s $303 million settlement with volunteer coaches.
U.S. District Judge William Shubb gave the final go-ahead to the settlement terms on Monday after granting preliminary approval in January.
As part of the settlement, the NCAA will compensate almost 8,000 current and former coaches for unpaid wages. The average class member is expected to receive around $39,000.
The payment structure, which was finalized in February, will see the NCAA pay $101 million annually for three years (2026–2028), with 60% ($60.6 million) coming from reductions to NCAA Division I revenue distributions and 40% ($40.4 million) coming from the NCAA national office.
The original lawsuit, representing 7,700 volunteer college coaches, alleged the NCAA engaged in illegal wage fixing under a rule that prohibited schools from paying them.
The coaches claimed that the organization fixed their compensation at $0, suppressing competition for their labor, which they alleged violates U.S. antitrust law.
“I would say, personally, this is a very satisfying case,” said attorney Dennis Stewart, who is representing the class, according to Courthouse News Service. “We’re happy we’re going to see them get paid.”
The case was originally filed in March 2023, shortly before the NCAA removed volunteer coaching positions.
The class includes any volunteer coach who worked for a Division I athletic program other than baseball at any point from March 17, 2019, to June 20, 2023. Baseball is excluded because, in November 2022, baseball coaches filed a similar lawsuit and reached a settlement with the NCAA in 2025 for $49.25 million.
Former volunteer coaches are able to submit a claim for compensation up until June 2, 2026, here.
Does team manager count as well?
Not saying they shouldn’t get paid for their time/knowledge/experience, but Volunteer and Paid cant be used together.
Volunteer:
a person who does something, especially helping other people, willingly and without being forced or paid to do it.
The English language is an open source language and incredibly flexible. You should try it sometime.
You can call anything anything you want as long as you define your terms, and the NCAA has defined terms for what a Volunteer Assistant means. You’re thinking middle school English, this is contemplating contract law.
Anything for D2 or D3 volunteer coaches?? I know this about D1, but I personally know people who have done the same thing at that level for the same reasons as those in D1. Thx
Agree. D2 and D3 should be paid. Trust me all schools all levels can find money.Ive seen many financial statements in my day. In running a business and something came up and it seemed like it could bring more revenue or profit I would spend the money. Budgets are flexible.
Nobody seems to have had the appetite to test courts on D2 and D3 stuff yet, because D2 and D3 organizations are not revenue centers the way that D1 programs are.
I don’t know what the courts would say about it. I know that “we don’t turn a profit” is not a legal excuse for not paying somebody, but also D2 and D3 volunteers are treated much more like a more legal definition of ‘volunteer’ so that may play into it as well.
Is there a reason this is only retro active to 2019? We had volunteer coaches 20 years ago?
Good question. I have suspicions but I’ll try to confirm.
Federal statute of limitations on antitrust cases is 4 years. It was filed in 2023, so that takes them back to 2019.
Good answer.
This, if approved for me, is going to fundamentally change my life for the better. Still in the industry, still grinding. Heck yeah
This works out well for the volunteer swim coaches. Some probably taking the jobs so that they can gain experience to have a better chance at getting their next job. And some just coaching part time for no money because they love coaching and the sport. Now that they are getting paid makes their decision to be a volunteer swim coach that much better. Money well earned.