Following the approval of the House v. NCAA settlement agreement by U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken, four major collegiate coaching associations have issued a joint statement warning of serious consequences for Olympic and broad-based sports programs.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America (CSCAA), and the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) acknowledged that the settlement marks important progress in addressing the rights of college athletes but expressed deep concern over its long-term impact on non-revenue sports.

In a joint statement, the associations cautioned that the financial strain on institutions stemming from the settlement could accelerate the elimination of Olympic and non-football, non-basketball programs. "This is no hypothetical,” the statement read. “Budget cuts and program eliminations have already taken place in anticipation of today’s outcome, and more are likely to follow."

The House v. NCAA settlement resolves a trio of antitrust lawsuits tied to compensation for student-athletes and could open the door for schools to directly share revenue with athletes. However, the coaches associations argue that without broader structural reform, the decision may disproportionately benefit revenue-generating sports while eroding the foundation of broad-based athletic participation that defines collegiate athletics.

They also flagged unresolved concerns, including the employment classification of student-athletes and Title IX compliance—issues that they say remain dangerously vague and could result in further risk and confusion for sports that operate outside the financial spotlight.

“The future of college sports must not disproportionately benefit a small fraction of the NCAA student-athlete population while jeopardizing opportunities for others,” the statement continued. “Congress must intervene to address these pressing issues and ensure a balanced, equitable path forward for all student-athletes.”

Among the associations' top legislative priorities are:

Protecting investment in Olympic sports by establishing proportional spending targets.

Maintaining NCAA sport sponsorship requirements, which currently mandate 16 sports for FBS programs and 14 for FCS and non-football Division I schools.

Ensuring athletes are not classified as employees, preserving the traditional collegiate model.

Creating consistent, national NIL regulation to prevent disparate policy enforcement across states.

The USTFCCCA, which represents more than 11,000 coaches and over 98 per cent of all NCAA track and field programs, reiterated its commitment to advocating for track & field and cross country as essential components of collegiate athletics. The organization, along with its fellow associations, emphasized its intent to work collaboratively with lawmakers to ensure the sustainability and integrity of college sports.

As the collegiate athletics landscape continues to evolve in the wake of legal and legislative shifts, the coaching associations made clear that without federal guidance, the sports that form the backbone of Olympic development and broad student participation could face an uncertain future.