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How the House-NCAA Settlement Affects Track and Field

Massive changes are coming to the NCAA this year. On Friday, June 6, Judge Claudia Wilken approved the House vs. NCAA legal settlement that will fundamentally change Division I college athletics for the imminent future. Some track and field and cross-country rosters could be significantly reduced as a result of the decision, which goes into […]

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Massive changes are coming to the NCAA this year.

On Friday, June 6, Judge Claudia Wilken approved the House vs. NCAA legal settlement that will fundamentally change Division I college athletics for the imminent future. Some track and field and cross-country rosters could be significantly reduced as a result of the decision, which goes into effect for the 2025-2026 school year.

The class-action settlement has three major parts. It will allow universities to share revenue with athletes for the first time—expected to be $20.5 million in the first year—and will provide $2.8 billion in back payments to former NCAA athletes who were not eligible to receive NIL money from 2016-2024.

A third part of the settlement has already been affecting many track and field and cross-country athletes. The settlement will set roster limits on each sport. For cross-country, schools will be capped at 17 roster spots, and track and field will be limited to 45. Only schools that opt into revenue sharing will be bound to these numbers.

Previously, there was no limit on roster numbers and schools instead had to adhere to scholarship limits: 18 total for women and 12.6 for men. Now, institutions can provide as many scholarships as they have roster spots. But few schools are expected to have the financial resources to use all 45 or 17 potential scholarships.

Many schools that opt into the settlement have rosters that are larger than the new limits.

Over the past year, some schools that are members of the Power 4 conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, and SEC) have begun preparing their rosters for the new numbers. The University of Florida, for example, had 56 men listed on their track team this year and 19 on the cross-country roster, and athletes like Alec Miller were faced with the possibility of not having a spot next year. And some athletes, like Jake Rimmel at Virginia Tech, were already cut in anticipation of the settlement.

The SEC, additionally, will limit rosters even further than the settlement’s numbers. Men’s programs will be limited to 35 athletes for track and just 10 for cross-country.

Originally, the settlement mandated that teams must adhere to new roster limits for the 2025–2026 school year—and no athletes would be grandfathered in. At that time, Yahoo Sports estimated that over 15,000 athletes across all Division I members could be cut, depending on how many schools opt in to the settlement.

But after significant pushback from athletes, the settlement was amended to allow—but not mandate—schools to grandfather in athletes who would have otherwise lost their spot.

The schools are instructed to use “good-faith efforts” to identify athletes who “were removed or would have been removed from the roster for 2025-26 due to the implementation of the roster limits.” Those individuals will not count toward roster limits for the rest of their eligibility. This applies to current athletes and those who were recruited to be on a team for the 2025-2026 school year (e.g., incoming freshmen). Schools have until July 6 to identify these athletes.

On May 8, Notre Dame became the first school to commit to grandfathering in all athletes.

While the settlement was preliminarily approved in October by Judge Wilken, many athletes, parents, and coaches voiced concerns about roster limits—a part of the agreement that was originally not as widely discussed as back payments and revenue sharing. This pushback delayed the approval for nearly two months after the April 7 final hearing.

Track and field was one of the sports that was at the center of the debate around roster cuts. At the final approval hearing, Gracelyn Laudermilch, a senior distance runner at Northeast Bradford High School in Pennsylvania, gave a powerful speech about declining opportunities for athletes.

Last fall, she was prepared to commit to an unnamed school but was advised by the school’s coach to go elsewhere because the coach had learned they would have to cut at least 15 women from the team to adhere to roster limits. Laudermilch argued to Judge Wilken that roster limits would reduce chances for her and “thousands of athletes” and encouraged her to deny the settlement.

Laudermilch also discussed how smaller roster sizes could discourage schools from taking chances on less-developed runners. She cited Olympian Emily Mackay, who was a walk-on in college, as an example of someone who thrived with a long-term approach.

NCAA coaches have also expressed concerns with budgets cuts (or complete team eliminations) that could occur due to new expenses from revenue sharing. In March, some of the most prominent coaches in the sport—including Vin Lananna, Ed Eyestone, and Maurica Powell—expressed displeasure with the settlement in a “call-to-action” email, where they mentioned that although scholarship limits will technically increase, “collegiate track and field programs won’t likely see funding across institutions.”

Revenue sharing could strain athletic department budgets. Yahoo Sports has reported that most Power-4 schools plan to allocate 90 percent of revenue sharing to football and men’s basketball—the two sports that have the highest chance at generating athletic department revenue. Cross-country and track and field programs generally do not bring in much revenue, if any.

On June 7, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) issued a joint statement, along with coaching associations for wrestling, volleyball, and swimming and diving. The organizations voiced worries that funding for Olympic sports could shrink, and they urged Congress to intervene.

“We are concerned that the new financial obligations placed on schools will force administrators to divert attention and resources away from non-football and non-basketball sports—the very programs in which the majority of NCAA student-athletes participate,” the statement read. “This is no hypothetical. Budget cuts and program eliminations have already occurred in anticipation of [the settlement’s approval], and more are likely to follow.”

Headshot of Theo Kahler

Theo Kahler is the news editor at Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)



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College Roundup — AC women’s water polo trio named All-Americans

Austin College junior Bianca Gallegos, who led the team with 48 goals, was one of three ‘Roos to earn Division III honorable mention All-America honors for the 2025 season. Avery Rague / Austin College Athletics Herald Democrat Austin College women’s water polo players Ashley Chand, Bianca Gallegos and Joslyn Dimitri have each been named honorable […]

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Herald Democrat Austin College women’s water polo players Ashley Chand, Bianca Gallegos and Joslyn Dimitri have each been named honorable mention Division III All-America by…



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World Aquatics Championships Roll Call – Stanford Cardinal

SINGAPORE – Stanford will be represented with six participants when competition at the 2025 World Aquatics World Championships get underway this weekend in Singapore. Jenna Flynn, Ryann Neushul, Jewel Roemer and Ella Woodhead have qualified for the 14-player Team USA roster, with the Americans seeking their ninth World Championships crown overall while looking to defend […]

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SINGAPORE – Stanford will be represented with six participants when competition at the 2025 World Aquatics World Championships get underway this weekend in Singapore.

Jenna Flynn, Ryann Neushul, Jewel Roemer and Ella Woodhead have qualified for the 14-player Team USA roster, with the Americans seeking their ninth World Championships crown overall while looking to defend their 2024 crown.

Flynn, Neushul and Roemer are among seven returning Olympians from the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. All three players are multi-time ACWPC All-Americans who helped guide Stanford to the 2025 NCAA title, with Neushul leaving The Farm as the program’s only four-time NCAA champion. Woodhead is also a member of two NCAA title teams (2023, 2025).

Team USA opens tournament play against China on Thursday, July 10, at 9:10 p.m. PT.

Former Cardinal standout Dani Jackovich, a two-time ACWPC All-American who competed on The Farm from 2014-17, and incoming UCLA transfer and 2023 ACWPC All-American Sienna Green, are members of the Australian national team.

Jackovich and Green helped guide Australia to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Jackovich became the 14th medalist in school history overall and first from a country other than the United States. Green, who made her debut with the Aussie Stingers in March 2022, is the youngest water polo player to represent Australia at the national team level and the youngest Australian water polo Olympian.

Australia’s tournament opener is slated for Friday, July 11, at 4:10 a.m. PT.



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James Madison Volleyball signs South Carolina transfer Anna Wilson

HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – The James Madison volleyball program signed South Carolina transfer Anna Wilson to an aid agreement on Wednesday, July 9, Head Coach Lauren Steinbrecher announced. “We are so excited to have Anna Wilson join our JMU Volleyball program!” Steinbrecher said. “From the moment we connected with Anna, we knew she was […]

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HARRISONBURG, Va. (JMU Athletics) – The James Madison volleyball program signed South Carolina transfer Anna Wilson to an aid agreement on Wednesday, July 9, Head Coach Lauren Steinbrecher announced.

“We are so excited to have Anna Wilson join our JMU Volleyball program!” Steinbrecher said. “From the moment we connected with Anna, we knew she was a Duke with her energy, work-ethic, and drive. She is a mature, team-first competitor with absolutely contagious enthusiasm. Anna’s SEC experience and her hunger to grow will make an immediate impact on our gym. She’s the kind of person who makes everyone around her better, and we can’t wait to get started with her in Harrisonburg.”

Wilson, a middle blocker from Wilson, Ontario, spent the 2024 season at South Carolina after beginning her career at High Point (2022-23), where she played with current Duke Kennedy Louisell in 2023. Wilson will have two seasons of eligibility after redshirting in the 2022 season.

With the addition of Wilson, JMU’s 2025 roster is complete. The Dukes welcomed Louisell and Sydney Lewis (Coastal Carolina) as transfers along with five freshmen – Addie Norman (Wilmington, N.C.), Peri Linterman (Fredericksburg, Va.), Ana Toumazatos (Great Falls, Va.), B’Lise Bradley (Shaker Heights, Ohio), and Shelby Davis (Smithfield, Ky.).

Anna Wilson | 6-3 | Middle Blocker | Burlington, Ontario | South Carolina, High Point
South Carolina (2024):
• Played in eight matches and six sets for the Gamecocks
• Made her debut against No. 13 Kansas on Aug. 30
• Had two kills and a block against Stetson (Sep. 13)

High Point (2023):
• Played in 15 matches and 35 sets, totaling 26 kills at 0.76 per set
• Season-high seven kills vs. Winthrop in the Big South Championship match
• Accumulated 23 blocks with 18 assists and five solo

High Point (2022):
• Did not see any action as a freshman, redshirting
• Big South Presidential Honor Roll

High School / Club:
• Played at Nelson High School in Wilson, Ontario
• Helped Nelson earn an Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) silver medal
• Played club for the Halton Hurricanes and Team Ontario, earning a Provincial Gold Medal with the 18u team in 2022
• Named to the Ontario Volleyball Association All-Star team in 2021

— JMU Athletics —



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Fire near Silverwood Lake fully contained | News

Road closures and park shutdown enforced The Lake Fire was declared fully contained as of Sunday, July 6. However, the full extent of the damage is still under evaluation. Park officials and CAL FIRE crews continue to assess conditions on the ground to determine when it will be safe to reopen the recreation area. The […]

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Road closures and park shutdown enforced



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Multiple Hawai‘i youth volleyball teams win national championships

A handful of Hawai‘i-based youth volleyball teams recently took home national championships across multiple events on the Mainland. In the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Fla., Honolulu’s Spike and Serve Volleyball Club won the boys 14 Open Division with a three-set victory over California’s Rockstar Volleyball Club on Monday, finishing the tournament with […]

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A handful of Hawai‘i-based youth volleyball teams recently took home national championships across multiple events on the Mainland.

In the AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships in Orlando, Fla., Honolulu’s Spike and Serve Volleyball Club won the boys 14 Open Division with a three-set victory over California’s Rockstar Volleyball Club on Monday, finishing the tournament with a record of 11-1.

Spike and Serve also won the 13 Open Division championship in 2024, marking its second consecutive year with a national title.

In an earlier event in the same AAU tournament, Hilo’s Pilipa‘a Volleyball won the boys 18 Club Division with a victory over California’s San Diego Beach Volleyball on July 3. Pilipa‘a finished the tournament with a mark of 12-1.

The 2025 AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships was the 52nd edition of the tournament, with thousands of teams competing in a wide variety of age groups and divisions. The AAU Junior National Volleyball Championships holds the distinction of being the world’s largest volleyball tournament, according to Guinness World Records.

In another youth volleyball tournament across the country, Maui’s Hawaiian Style Volleyball won the 2025 USA Volleyball Boys national championship in Minneapolis over the weekend, becoming the first team from the Valley Isle to win a tournament at a USA Volleyball junior national tournament, running the table in the 15U Open Division at 7-0. Additionally, Big Island Boys took home the championship in the 18s American Division.

For the latest news of Hawai‘i, sign up here for our free Daily Edition newsletter.

Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.



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Western Swim and Dive earns Brechler Award

Open Audio Article Player Team awarded for 3.6 GPA Gregg Petcoff | Special to the Times Western Colorado University’s swim and dive program earned its fourth consecutive Brechler Award on July 3. The Brechler Awards, named in honor of former RMAC commissioner Paul W. Brechler and his wife Wanda, were the first inductees into the […]

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Open Audio Article Player

Team awarded for 3.6 GPA

Western Colorado University’s swim and dive program earned its fourth consecutive Brechler Award on July 3. The Brechler Awards, named in honor of former RMAC commissioner Paul W. Brechler and his wife Wanda, were the first inductees into the RMAC Hall of Fame. The award honors teams with the highest GPA in each of the RMAC sport offerings.

Posting a cumulative team GPA of 3.601, the 2024-25 swim and dive program improved on last year’s leading GPA of 3.518 to extend a string of Brechler honors that began with the 2021-22 award. The program earned its first Brechler in the 2014-15 academic year.

Also on Thursday, the College Swim Coaches Association of America (CSCAA) released its list of Scholar All-America teams. Western was one of the 763 teams from NCAA Divisions 1, 2, and 3, the NAIA and the junior college ranks to earn a spot on the list.

Scholar All-America teams are required to post a cumulative team GPA of 3.00 in the spring semester. Western registered a cumulative GPA of 3.65 to earn its place on the Scholar All-America team list.

(​Gregg Petcoff is the assistant athletics director for communications at Western Colorado University and can be reached at gpetcoff@western.edu.)



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