The University of Central Arkansas will not opt in for the House v. NCAA settlement, a landmark restructuring of college athletics that went into effect Tuesday.

The settlement, which was officially approved June 6 by U.S. District Court Judge Claudia Wilken, ended three separate class-action lawsuits between the NCAA and lawyers representing Division I athletes. All three lawsuits claimed the NCAA was limiting athletes’ earning power.

Several mostly smaller schools have decided to wait at least a year to see how things develop, including legal risks and Title IX concerns.

In an interview Wednesday, UCA Athletic Director Matt Whiting said he had multiple concerns over what the effects of the settlement would look like if UCA were to be a part of the reported 82% of Division I schools planning to opt in for the 2025-26 school year.

By virtue of opting out of the settlement, UCA will not be restricted by the new roster limits, which Whiting cited as a key reason for the decision.

“On July 1, we entered a new era of college athletics, where revenue will be shared with student-athletes,” Whiting said. “We’ve made the decision at UCA, for 2025-26, to opt out. The reason for us, really, you look at the house settlement and what it entails, it’s revenue sharing, it’s roster limitations, and also scholarship limits change, right? Revenue sharing and scholarship limits are really one piece, but the big thing for us is the roster limitation.”

Among the terms of the settlement, schools can share up for $20.5 million with their student-athletes. Schools will also be set with roster limits, paired with the removal of scholarship caps, meaning each rostered athlete could be placed on full athletic financial aid.

The scholarship limits for specific UCA sports are 105 for football, 15 each for men’s and women’s basketball, 34 for baseball, 25 for softball, 18 for volleyball and 28 each for men’s and women’s soccer, 17 each for men’s and women’s cross country, 45 each for men’s and women’s track and field, 9 each for men’s and women’s golf, 19 for women’s beach volleyball and 65 for STUNT, a competition cheer sport.

As two examples, the Bears’ football team typically rosters around 130 players, and the baseball team sits somewhere around 40. The school would lose dozens of student-athletes who pay tuition annually if it were to cut roster spots.

“I think it’s unique where we’re at,” Whiting said. “We can be a revenue driver for UCA. We’re proud of the number of student-athletes that we have in our program. Opting in would require us to reduce by a significant amount of student-athletes in our program. And so that’s obviously lost revenue for the university during a time where enrollment across the country is declining.

“It really seems to be counterintuitive to the mission of what the university is trying to do on the enrollment front. So we feel really the roster limitations piece is the piece that’s kind of tough to get around if you opt in.”

The $20.5 million number is the limit to what schools can provide athletes in revenue sharing, but there is no floor to what can be provided. Many schools, particularly those at the Football Championship Subdivision level, like UCA, will pay nowhere near that number. If UCA were to opt into the settlement in future years, it would pay a significantly smaller number than that. UCA’s entire athletics budget for the 2024-25 school year was $8,301,765.

“Revenue sharing is, to me, it’s an interesting term even to use in this,” Whiting said. “I think budget reallocation may be a better way to describe it. You’re adding a $20.5 million expense to your athletic department budget. That’s tough to do, right? I think we’re all operating lean, and we’re all operating to the best of our ability. You’re trying to drive different revenue streams and create additional revenue.

“I think the revenue across the board in college athletics is different at all levels, right? And so, ultimately, I don’t know that that is very instrumental at our level, but we’ll see. We’ll see what happens there.”

Schools will have the option to opt in or out of the current settlement annually. Whiting did not rule out UCA deciding to opt in for future school years. The deadline to opt in for the 2026-27 school year is March 1, 2026.

“We’re going to monitor things,” he said. “You don’t know what happens in the future, and it’s a unique time. Who knows what will be right for all institutions, but we feel opting out at this time is in the best interest for University of Central Arkansas.”

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South Dakota State University (SDSU) is seeking an Assistant Athletic Trainer to join our team. This role supports the coordination of athletic training services, ensuring the health and well-being of our student-athletes. From injury prevention and evaluation to rehabilitation and return-to-play management, this position plays a vital role in keeping athletes performing at their best. We’re looking for someone who is passionate about sports medicine and thrives in a team environment. This position is located in Brookings, South Dakota and is a 12-month, full-time, benefits-eligible position.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training, Athletic Administration or Sports Science completed by appointment date;
• At least one year of experience with intercollegiate athletics or clinical setting (an equivalent combination will be considered);
• Effective communication (oral, written, and interpersonal) skills;
• BOC certification for athletic training and CPR/First Aid certification or ability to obtain these certificates by employment;
• Demonstrated organization and time management skills; and
• Demonstrated computer application skills.

 PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Master’s degree in Athletic Training, Kinesiology, Sports Medicine, Exercise Science, or Administration;
• At least one year of experience supervising athletic training students;
• Division I intercollegiate experience;
• Experience providing athletic training services to the sport of track/field and cross country;
• Eligible for state license in South Dakota;
• Experience with team travel responsibilities;
• Experience with supply ordering/monitoring;
• Knowledge and/or understanding of medical records following HIPAA, FERPA and Sportsware; and
• Knowledge and/or understanding of medical insurance.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 

Position is open until filled with full consideration given to applications received by 07/11/2025.

For questions on the position, contact search committee chair, Holly VanVlymen at 605-688-5308 or via email: Holly-VanVlymen@sdstate.edu.

About South Dakota State University

South Dakota State University is the state’s largest, most comprehensive university with more than 200 academic programs, an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students, and over $60 million annual research expenditures.

South Dakota State University offers a rich academic experience in an environment of inclusion and access through inspired, student-centered education, creative activities and research, innovation and engagement that improve the quality of life in South Dakota, the region, the nation, and the world. Its employees embrace the university’s core values of being people-centered, expanding knowledge through creativity, embracing organizational and personal integrity, commitment to diversity of thought, and excellence through continuous improvement.

As the state’s 1862 Morrill Act land-grant institution, the work of South Dakota State University is carried out on its main resident campus in Brookings, at sites in Sioux Falls, Pierre, Rapid City, and Aberdeen, and through Extension offices and Agricultural Experiment Station research sites across South Dakota.

Jackrabbits Athletics competes as an NCAA Division I member with membership in the Missouri Valley Footb…all Conference, the Summit League and the Big 12 for wrestling.

Brookings is home to approximately 24,000 residents and is located 60 miles north of Sioux Falls and 200 miles west of Minneapolis. Brookings is listed as an ideal community for families, students, young professionals, and retirees, and is rated among the safest and most vibrant cities in South Dakota.

The Brookings Public School District educates approximately 3,300 K-12 students and ranks among the state’s highest academic achieving school districts. The district includes three elementary schools, an intermediate school for fourth and fifth grade, one middle school, and a high school.

The city also boasts an abundance of attractions and activities, including the Children’s Museum of South Dakota, Dakota Nature Park, South Dakota Art Museum, McCrory Gardens, South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum, Outdoor Adventure Center, and the Brookings Summer Arts Festival.

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