Yes. Three current and former athletes have sued the NCAA over its ban on athletic scholarships in Division III, the NCAA tier that prohibits athletic scholarships. Thomson Reuters reports the case, Connor Printz et al. v.
NCAA, No. 2:26-cv-12448, was filed Oct. 23, 2026 in the Central District of California, according to its account of the filing. The suit attacks Bylaw 15.01.3 as fixing athletic labor at zero.
Table of Contents
- What ban does the lawsuit challenge?
- What payment and changes are sought?
- What law will decide the case?
- What should Division III athletes do now?
What ban does the lawsuit challenge?
The NCAA states Division III schools do not offer athletics scholarships, though athletes may receive merit-based or need-based aid, according to its scholarship rules. That ban is the rule the plaintiffs ask the court to end.
Thomson Reuters reports Division III includes more than 400 schools and over 175,000 athletes per year, including MIT, Johns Hopkins, Chicago, Williams and Caltech. SwimSwam names Connor Printz of Claremont McKenna basketball, Chris Jennings of Lynchburg swimming and lacrosse, and Jackson Hale of Pacific Lutheran football as plaintiffs.
What payment and changes are sought?
The College Investor reports the plaintiffs seek an injunction ending the ban plus treble damages under Clayton Act Section 4, according to its summary of the relief sought. Treble damages mean triple the proven financial loss. An injunction would bar future enforcement of the ban.
The same report describes the damages group as athletes who competed since Oct. 21, 2022. That cutoff defines who could share in payment if the plaintiffs win. Readers should use that date when checking personal relevance.
What law will decide the case?
Sports Illustrated reports the Supreme Court ruled 9-0 in NCAA v. Alston on June 21, 2021 that NCAA limits on education-related benefits violate antitrust law and rejected NCAA immunity, according to its account of the Alston decision. That decision opened NCAA compensation limits to antitrust review. Thomson Reuters reports the NCAA defends the ban as a core principle that athletics participation should not be financially rewarded like academic achievement.
Plaintiffs must therefore survive rule-of-reason review. That test weighs competitive harm against claimed benefits. Baker Tilly reports the House settlement approved in June 2025 created direct Division I revenue sharing capped near $20.5 million per school, leaving Division II and Division III without revenue sharing. This case seeks separate Division III scholarship relief. It does not divide House money.
What should Division III athletes do now?
Athletes who competed on a Division III team since Oct. 21, 2022 fall inside the period described in the suit. No damages class has been certified and no payment deadline has been set.
Tracking the federal case matters more than contacting a school aid office. Keep records showing what aid you received and what seasons you played. Treble damages turn on documented loss, so complete files help most. Save aid letters, roster notices, and competition dates now.
- Confirm Division III seasons, teams, and dates of competition
- Save merit, need, and aid offer letters and award notices
- Save roster listings, schedules, and proof of participation
- Keep contact details current for future notice