In an unprecedented moment in college football, the University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective filed a complaint Friday against the University of Miami, alleging tortious interference. Filed Friday in a Wisconsin state circuit court, the Badgers allege that Miami poached freshman defensive back Xavier Lucas, who had signed a revenue-sharing contract with Wisconsin.

It is uncharted waters in college football. In the 23-page suit, Wisconsin is seeking financial damages and a judgment that Miami’s actions “wrongfully interfere with contractual commitments.” Beyond that, however, Wisconsin is enforcing its contract with Lucas. The defensive back’s attorney, Darren Heitner, told On3 on Friday that Lucas was never compensated through the deal by Wisconsin.

Lucas is not named in the suit, instead cited as “Student Athlete A.” But Lucas publicly left Wisconsin for Miami this winter without ever entering the transfer portal. Heitner previously alleged Wisconsin of violating NCAA rules by not putting Lucas into the transfer portal after multiple requests. In the complaint filed Friday, Wisconsin alleges that a Miami staff member and alumnus met Lucas and his family at a relative’s home in Florida.

“Accordingly, at the conclusion of the 2024 season, UW-Madison and VC Connect offered, negotiated, and executed separate NIL contracts with Student-Athlete A, under which he would receive one of the most lucrative NIL financial commitments of any UW-Madison football player,” the complaint states. “Within days of contract execution, however, Miami knowingly induced Student-Athlete A to abandon his contractual commitments to Plaintiffs. As a result of Miami’s actions, Student-Athlete A abruptly left UW-Madison’s football program and enrolled at Miami, causing Plaintiffs to suffer substantial pecuniary and reputational harm.

“Miami’s actions are in direct contravention of not only the NCAA’s established anti-tampering rules—rules designed to maintain the integrity of the transfer process and ensure fair competition among member institutions—but also established contract and tort law.”

In another unprecedented situation, the Big Ten has publicly voiced its backing of Wisconsin for filing the suit, telling On3 in a statement that, “The University of Miami’s actions are irreconcilable with a sustainable college sports framework and is supportive of UW-Madison’s efforts to preserve.” Miami did not immediately respond to a request for comment from On3.

The suit will also put the NCAA transfer rules to the test. In recent years, the college football transfer portal has come under fire from coaches due to the ease with which athletes can hit free agency. Athletes have turned the portal into a payday, too, leveraging schools against each other for the highest contract offer.

But with the House v. NCAA settlement set to officially begin on July 1, revenue-sharing contracts have been drawn up by most of the Power Four in the last six months. Tampering has become prominent in the portal, but there has been minimal enforcement from the NCAA, which has been handicapped by lawsuits.

How a judge decides to rule on this lawsuit could define how the transfer portal is enforced and how revenue-sharing contracts will hold up in the courtroom. It could also prove to be a precedent-setting move if NIL contracts can keep athletes from transferring.

College athletes are currently not classified as employees and do not have collective bargaining power.

“These are the type of tampering allegations that are typically fought behind closed doors at the professional sports level based on the leagues’ collective bargaining agreement,” sports lawyer and professor Dan Lust told On3. “Here, in the absence of any type of similar mechanism at the collegiate level, this dispute is going to be fought in open court for the world to see the complex interplay of forces in and around the transfer portal. This is truly an unprecedented case and one that commands the attention of the college sports world.”

MADISON – The Xavier Lucas saga is far from over.

Yahoo Sports reported June 20 that the University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective, the Varsity Collective, are suing the University of Miami for what is termed tortious interference with the former Badgers cornerback who is now a part of the Miami Hurricanes football team.

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The Journal Sentinel obtained a copy of the 23-page complaint filed in Dane County Circuit Court on June 20. In the document Wisconsin provides a timeline for the NIL agreements it and the Varsity Collective reached with Lucas, offers details of how it alleges the Miami football program tampered with Lucas and allege a broader pattern of tampering in the Miami program with other student-athletes.

Wisconsin seeks damages for the financial and reputational harm it says it experienced, a declaration that Miami’s conduct with Lucas constituted tampering plus any other penalty the court deems proper.

“Now more than ever, it is imperative to protect the integrity and fundamental fairness of the game, including in connection with NIL contracts,” the complaint read. “Indeed, student-athletes’ newfound NIL rights will be rendered meaningless if third parties are allowed to induce student-athletes to abandon their contractual commitments.”

Xavier Lucas had a promising freshman season at Wisconsin

The case stems from Lucas’ controversial departure from the Badgers football program in December. The native of Pompano Beach, Florida, announced his intention to transfer Dec. 19.

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Losing Lucas was a blow to UW, which already had lost a handful of players from the secondary to the transfer portal. According to Pro Football Focus, Lucas played more snaps (203) than any freshman on the team last season. He played in all 12 games with one start and registered 18 tackles, one interception and one sack.

With the transfer portal scheduled to close Dec. 28, Lucas posted on X that the Wisconsin football program wrongfully declined to enter his name into the portal, a move that prevented other teams from contacting him without breaking NCAA rules.

In January, Lucas circumvented the transfer portal by withdrawing from Wisconsin and enrolling at Miami. He eventually joined Miami’s football team and participated in spring practice with the Hurricanes.

A few days after Lucas left UW, Wisconsin offered its side of the story. In a statement issued on Jan. 18, the university said it didn’t put Lucas’ name into the transfer portal because he signed a two-year NIL agreement Dec. 2 that it believed was still in effect and enforceable. The university also said Lucas entered into a separate agreement with Varsity Collective, which connects Badger athletes with NIL opportunities.

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Wisconsin also said in its January statement that it had credible information that indicated impermissible contact between Lucas and University of Miami personnel.

That information was detailed further in Wisconsin’s legal complaint.

Wisconsin outlines its allegations against Miami

The complaint provides more specific details of the allegations UW made against Miami in December, which include impermissible contact on multiple occasions with Lucas or his representatives. The complaint refers to Lucas as “Student-Athlete A” rather than using his name.

Among the allegations:

* A Miami coach and prominent alumnus visited Lucas at the Florida home of one of his relatives in December. UW says it received information about the in-home visit from a relative of Lucas on Dec. 18.

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* UW accused Miami of a broader culture of tampering, alleging that Miami went after a second player even though that player made a written commitment to another school, a commitment that was reflected in the transfer portal. The player wasn’t identified by name.

The University of Wisconsin, Big Ten issue statements

UW issued a statement. Here it is in its entirety.

“The University of Wisconsin-Madison remains committed to ensuring integrity and fundamental fairness in the evolving landscape of college athletics. After reviewing all facts and evaluating options, the university today filed a complaint in Wisconsin state court outlining our allegations against the University of Miami.

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“While we reluctantly bring this case, we stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field. In addition to our legal action, we will continue to be proactive to protect the interests of our student-athletes, our program and the broader collegiate athletics community. We appreciate the support of our university leadership and the Big Ten Conference. As we move forward, we will respect the court process and provide further updates only as appropriate.”

The Big  Ten Conference, which publically supported UW in January, continued to voice its support.

Here is the statement the league issued to Yahoo on June 20.

“We stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field,” the statement said. “In addition to our legal acton, we will continue to be proactive to protect the interests of our student-athletes, our program and the broader collegiate athletics community.”

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An email seeking comment from the University of Miami has not received a response.

This story was updated with new information.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin files lawsuit against Miami over Xavier Lucas’ departure

Miami Facing Groundbreaking NIL Lawsuit Over Alleged Player Tampering originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The ever-evolving world of college athletics, particularly NIL, may have reached a legal tipping point. The University of Miami now finds itself at the center of a groundbreaking lawsuit filed by the University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective, focused on alleged tampering involving cornerback Xavier Lucas.

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According to a report from Yahoo Sports’ Ross Dellenger, the University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective filed a complaint in state circuit court, claiming “tortious interference” by Miami. The complaint alleges that the Hurricanes made impermissible contact with Lucas while he was still under contract with Wisconsin. This is believed to be the first legal action of its kind directly tied to NIL-era tampering.

At the heart of the case is Lucas, a South Florida native who signed a new contract with Wisconsin in December before transferring to Miami in January, without formally entering the NCAA transfer portal. The Badgers allege that Miami knowingly engaged with Lucas despite his existing agreement, which resulted in him breaching that deal and transferring.

“Miami interfered with UW-Madison’s relationship with Student-Athlete A by making impermissible contact with him and engaging in tampering,” the suit reads, with Wisconsin seeking “unspecified damages, transparency, and accountability.”

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Whether the courts agree remains to be seen. However, legal experts and college football insiders believe this case could set a precedent for how tampering is defined and enforced moving forward. For now, Lucas remains eligible to play for the Hurricanes this fall, where he’s expected to make an immediate impact on a secondary that allowed the sixth-most passing touchdowns per game in the ACC last season.

Lucas was 247Sports’ 20th overall player and first-ranked cornerback in the transfer portal this offseason. His addition was viewed as a major win for new Hurricanes defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman’s defense, and it now carries potentially significant off-field implications.

As the NIL era continues to evolve, Miami’s role in this case could shape how schools recruit, retain, and protect their athletes and navigate the legal lines surrounding NIL, player contracts, and tampering. The Hurricanes have not yet issued a public statement on the lawsuit.

Related: Rookie QB Cam Ward’s Surprising Trash Talk Highlights His Confidence at Titans OTAs

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.

The University of Wisconsin and its NIL collective, VC Connect, filed a joint lawsuit on Friday against the University of Miami, alleging it knowingly induced one of the Badgers’ football players to abandon a lucrative name, image and likeness contract to play for the Hurricanes this upcoming season.

Allegations of tampering rarely get to this level, and the 23-page lawsuit, which was filed in state court in Wisconsin and obtained by The Associated Press, is unusual. Depending on its resolution, it could have a wider impact on future NIL deals across college athletics.

The player in question in the filing is referred to only as “Student-Athlete A.” But the case summary describes facts that line up with the situation involving cornerback Xavier Lucas, who last December announced his plans to enter the transfer portal.

Shortly afterward, Darren Heitner, who has been representing Lucas, indicated that Wisconsin was refusing to put Lucas’ name in the portal and that it was hindering his ability to talk with other schools. In January, Heitner announced that Lucas would be playing for Miami this fall.

The situation is fallout from the rapid changes engulfing college athletics, specifically a combination of two things: Athletes went to court and won the ability to transfer with much more freedom and the 2021 NCAA decision clearing the way for them to strike NIL endorsement deals now worth millions of dollars. That has changed the recruiting landscape and forced the issue of contracts and signed commitments to the fore.

“Indeed, student-athletes’ newfound NIL rights will be rendered meaningless if third parties are allowed to induce student-athletes to abandon their contractual commitments,” a portion of the lawsuit reads.

Wisconsin said in January that it had credible information that Miami and Lucas made impermissible contact with each other before the former Badgers cornerback decided to transfer.

Wisconsin and VC Connect allege that the inducement for Lucas to attend Miami happened within days of him entering his NIL agreement to play for the Badgers, and that they incurred substantial monetary and reputational harm. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages and “a declaration that Miami’s conduct directed towards Student-Athlete A constituted tampering.”

A message left with the University of Miami seeking comment was not immediately returned. In a text message Friday, Heitner declined to comment on the lawsuit but he said that Lucas still plans to attend Miami and play football.

Wisconsin said it had the support of its leadership and the Big Ten Conference in filing the lawsuit, noting its commitment to “ensuring integrity and fundamental fairness in the evolving landscape of college athletics.”

“While we reluctantly bring this case, we stand by our position that respecting and enforcing contractual obligations is essential to maintaining a level playing field,” the statement said. “In addition to our legal action, we will continue to be proactive to protect the interests of our student-athletes, our program and the broader collegiate athletics community.

Lucas, who is from Pompano Beach, Florida, had 12 tackles, an interception and a sack as a freshman for Wisconsin last season.

Heitner said that Lucas hasn’t received any money from Wisconsin and therefore owes no money to the school. Heitner also argued that Wisconsin had violated an NCAA bylaw by not entering Lucas into the transfer database within two business days of the player’s request.

Wisconsin issued a statement at the time saying it hadn’t put Lucas’ name in the portal because he had entered a two-year binding NIL agreement.

In April, the surprise transfers of brothers Nico and Madden Iamaleava from Tennessee to UCLA prompted fresh questions about contracts and buyouts.

Nico Iamaleava, who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff last season, walked away from a reported $2.4 million NIL contract. Arkansas freshman quarterback Madden Iamaleava entered the portal after spring practices wrapped up.

Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek released a statement indicating he would support efforts by the Razorbacks’ NIL collective to enforce buyout clauses in athlete contracts. Iamaleava reportedly had a contract valued at $500,000 upon signing with Arkansas.