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11/11/25 | Firm News
NCAA Division I "Volunteer" Coaches Reach $303 Million Settlement with NCAA to Resolve Wage-Fixing Claims
Class action settlement agreement to compensate coaches designated as “volunteers” in sports other than baseball for unpaid work from 2019 to 2023.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Co-lead counsel in Ray et al. v. NCAA filed a Motion for Preliminary Approval of a $303 million settlement to resolve wage-fixing claims brought on behalf of a certified class of Division I volunteer coaches against the NCAA. If approved, the agreement will compensate approximately 7,718 college coaches who worked hard and provided valuable services to their teams without any pay or benefits.
"We are incredibly proud of this settlement which, if approved, will provide significant and meaningful compensation to thousands of hard-working coaches,” said co-lead counsel Dennis Stewart of Gustafson Gluek PLLC, Michael Lieberman of Fairmark Partners LLP and Bob Gralewski of Kirby McInerney LLP. “We look forward to the approval process and are committed to ensuring that these funds are distributed to coaches in a fair and efficient manner.”
The settlement applies to all coaches who worked for an NCAA Division I sports program other than baseball in the position of “volunteer coach” between March 1, 2019 and July 1, 2023. The Volunteer Coach Rule, which was repealed in 2023, prevented an entire category of coaches from receiving salaries or benefits. In September 2025, a settlement was approved in a similar case pertaining only to Division I baseball coaches.
“Our top priority is working closely with the claims administrator to make the settlement process, if approved by the Court, as straightforward as possible for every eligible coach,” said Annie Cleaver of Fairmark Partners and Marko Radisavljevic of Kirby McInerney. “We encourage all volunteer coaches who worked for a Division I school in a sport other than baseball from 2019 to 2023 to visit the settlement website for more information about the case and to register their information so they can receive important updates about the claims process.”
Individuals who believe they qualify as class members can take proactive steps now by submitting their contact information to ensure they receive timely updates. For more information and to register for updates, class members can visit the settlement website at https://ncaavolunteercoachlawsuit.com.
"We are incredibly proud of this settlement which, if approved, will provide significant and meaningful compensation to thousands of hard-working coaches,” said co-lead counsel Dennis Stewart of Gustafson Gluek PLLC, Michael Lieberman of Fairmark Partners LLP and Bob Gralewski of Kirby McInerney LLP. “We look forward to the approval process and are committed to ensuring that these funds are distributed to coaches in a fair and efficient manner.”
The settlement applies to all coaches who worked for an NCAA Division I sports program other than baseball in the position of “volunteer coach” between March 1, 2019 and July 1, 2023. The Volunteer Coach Rule, which was repealed in 2023, prevented an entire category of coaches from receiving salaries or benefits. In September 2025, a settlement was approved in a similar case pertaining only to Division I baseball coaches.
“Our top priority is working closely with the claims administrator to make the settlement process, if approved by the Court, as straightforward as possible for every eligible coach,” said Annie Cleaver of Fairmark Partners and Marko Radisavljevic of Kirby McInerney. “We encourage all volunteer coaches who worked for a Division I school in a sport other than baseball from 2019 to 2023 to visit the settlement website for more information about the case and to register their information so they can receive important updates about the claims process.”
Individuals who believe they qualify as class members can take proactive steps now by submitting their contact information to ensure they receive timely updates. For more information and to register for updates, class members can visit the settlement website at https://ncaavolunteercoachlawsuit.com.
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