WILLIAMSBURG — William & Mary announced Friday it plans to opt in to the House v. NCAA Settlement on Student-Athlete Compensation in 2026.
“After careful consideration about the best interests of our student-athletes and the university, William & Mary plans to opt in to the House v. NCAA Settlement in 2026,” the university said.
William & Mary noted the settlement received only preliminary approval on Oct. 7, and a final approval hearing is scheduled for April 7, more than a month after the NCAA’s March 1 opt-in deadline, thus requiring athletics programs to decide before the final details of the settlement are known.
The university also noted that it understands the CAA Board of Directors voted that all members of the conference will opt in.
William & Mary said that due to the impact of opting in, coupled with the uncertainty of the terms connected to the settlement, it plans to wait and opt in next year.
“We believe it is important to know the final details of the settlement before we make a decision,” the university said. “We will continue to pursue a deliberate, thoughtful approach to the changing landscape of college athletics. We look forward to learning more about the terms of the NCAA settlement.”
The university said while many universities across the country are delaying their decision to allow for greater clarity with the settlement terms, to its knowledge, it is the only university doing so in the CAA. No negative consequences for its decision have been discussed by the NCAA, it added, and it should neither put William & Mary at a competitive disadvantage nor have financial ramifications. Third-party NIL opportunities will remain in place.
“We appreciate the CAA’s flexibility and willingness to work with us to create a path forward that accommodates individual institutional implementation of the proposed settlement terms,” the university said. “We are optimistic and excited to participate in a bright future for Division I athletics as we continue to make decisions in the best interests of our student-athletes.”
