Dear UConn Nation,

We continue to monitor the legal proceedings associated with the House settlement, which ultimately will pave the way for revenue sharing with student-athletes starting in the 2025-26 academic year. Final approval of the landmark ruling expected to reshape college athletics was initially targeted for April 7. However, U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken delayed final approval due to concerns she raised over the potential negative impact of roster limits.

You may recall that, from my previous communications or from media reports, one aspect of the settlement terms is roster limits for each team, instead of the currently-regulated scholarship limits. However, Judge Wilken shared concerns that the immediate application of roster limits will cause harm to student-athletes who are cut from their teams, and she would not approve a settlement which negatively impacts members of the class which brought forward the lawsuit. The judge recommended that the parties find a way to gradually phase in the roster limits, as opposed to what the NCAA and defendant conferences requested, which was to impose the caps immediately. She directed both sides to meet and identify a solution which minimizes any such adverse outcome. The parties are working on a grandfathering provision to protect affected student-athletes.

In her order, the judge indicated that she did not have issues with any other parts of the settlement, which include the well-publicized $2.8 billion in back damages and a $20.5 million annual cap that athletic departments can distribute to current student-athletes.  

Despite the present uncertainty, we are continuing to plan for the introduction of revenue sharing this summer. We appreciate the many loyal supporters who recognize the importance of enhanced giving in the new era of college athletics and are grateful to all those who have pledged their ongoing commitment amid the evolving landscape.

I recently shared that we need to double our level of overall support in order to effectively maintain the championship tradition which defines UConn Athletics. If you are a current Husky Athletic Fund member, thank you for your participation and your consideration of an additional gift. If you are not, please join us on this critical journey for continued excellence by donating to the Fight On Fund. And we ask all of you to encourage your friends and family, who derive joy from our successes, to get on board.

Whether on the fields of competition or off, we are in it to win it. Together, we will navigate the challenges and maintain our steadfast commitment to the nearly 600 student-athletes who represent our great university and the people of our state.

Go Huskies!

Sincerely,

David Benedict

Director of Athletics