NDSU opts into House v. NCAA settlement; to begin paying student-athletes directly
FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — The North Dakota State University athletic department will be opting in to the House v. NCAA settlement for the 2025-26 season.
The settlement opens the door for Bison student-athletes to start recieving payments coordinated directly by the school’s athletic department.
Under the terms of the settlement, additional scholarships and payments made to student-athletes above pre-settlment maximums will count towards NDSU’s $20.5 million benefit cap for the season.
NDSU will still be able to keep rosters in excess of the settlement’s roster limits until the student-athletes complete their eligibility or transfer from the university, while schools that have opted in for 2026-27 or later years will be subject to immediate roster limits.
The athletic department says that the settlement allows them greater flexibility in providing benefits to studnet-athletes, including NIL opportunities, direct compensation, and scholarships for all rostered student-athletes.
“This is a decision that we entered into with much deliberation and debate over its impact on the future of Bison Athletics,” said Matt Larsen, NDSU director of athletics. “We truly believe that opting into the House settlement will allow us to continue to be leaders at the FCS and mid-major level in providing financial support and resources to our student-athletes. The ability to provide institutional NIL along with scholarships, cost of attendance and Alston awards will keep NDSU positioned at the top of the subdivision.”
NDSU plans to phase out The Green and The Gold Collective starting on July 1st, with NIL activity being directly managed by the athletic department.
Fans and businesses will still be able to support NDSU student-athletes through tax-deductible contributions to NDSU Team Makers adn the newly created Green and Gold Fund.
