American rising star Reese Brantmeier made history by clinching the NCAA women’s singles tennis title. Representing the University of North Carolina, she delivered a commanding straight-sets victory over Berta Passola Folch of the University of California, Berkeley, on Sunday afternoon.
It’s worth noting that Brantmeier’s historic triumph comes amid her ongoing lawsuit against the NCAA, challenging one of its key prize money rules for college athletes. Let’s take a closer look at the controversy.
All You Need To Know About 2025 Women’s Champion Reese Brantmeier’s Lawsuit Against NCAA
The 21-year-old has emerged as one of the fastest-rising stars in college tennis, having earned the ACC Player of the Year award and securing All-American honors in both singles and doubles this spring. Her commanding 6-3, 6-3 victory over Passola not only showcased her dominance but also clinched the NCAA women’s singles championship.
However, the UNC senior is currently involved in a class-action lawsuit against the NCAA, seeking to overturn a rule that restricts the athletes to a maximum of $10,000 in prize money per year before enrolling in college.
Brantmeier competed in the 2021 US Open as a high-schooler and was only allowed to claim $10,000 of the $50,000 she earned. As a college athlete, NCAA rules permit her to take no prize money beyond actual expenses, forcing her to forfeit a large portion of her winnings to maintain eligibility.
In March 2024, Brantmeier filed a federal lawsuit in North Carolina, arguing that the NCAA’s prize money restrictions violate antitrust laws. She criticized the organization for what she described as a double standard: while student-athletes can profit from name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, they are barred from keeping the earnings they win through competition.
However, in August, U.S. Chief District Judge Catherine Eagles gave a major boost to Brantmeier and college player-turned-WTA star Maya Joint by approving class-action status for two groups of potential plaintiffs. The case itself is not set to go to trial until late 2026.
The first group covers any athlete who has played Division I tennis since March 19, 2020, or was prevented from competing due to NCAA prize money limits, potentially encompassing up to 12,000 players. The second group consists of those who forfeited prize money during that same period.
It is worth noting that while athletes in other sports can earn seven-figure sums from endorsements, autograph sessions, or billboards, college tennis players are restricted from keeping full prize money won at events like the U.S. Open if they wish to maintain NCAA eligibility, and this striking disparity was later highlighted by Brantmeier amid her filed lawsuit.
