A Legal First in College Athletics: Wisconsin Sues Miami Over Alleged NIL Tampering
The University of Wisconsin, along with its NIL collective VC Connect, filed a groundbreaking lawsuit against the University of Miami, alleging interference with binding NIL contracts and illegal tampering. The details of the lawsuit align with the recruitment process of former Wisconsin cornerback Xavier Lucas. The 23-page complaint, filed in Wisconsin state court on June 20, claims that Miami “knowingly induced” Lucas to break a binding two‑year NIL contract, designed to ensure his commitment to Wisconsin, in exchange for a more lucrative deal.
Although the lawsuit refers to “Student-Athlete A,” internal evidence points strongly to Xavier Lucas, a freshman defensive back from Pompano Beach, Florida, who started for Wisconsin in 2024 and recorded 18 tackles along with an interception. Wisconsin alleges that within days of signing the NIL deal with VC Connect in December 2024, a Miami staff member and prominent alumnus made in-person contact with Lucas during a visit to a relative’s Florida home. They allegedly offered a “compensation commitment” to entice him to switch schools. Lucas requested to be placed in the transfer portal in December, but Wisconsin declined due to his recent two-year NIL contract that was signed in the same month.
The lawsuit is complex as Lucas’s contract with Wisconsin, which was set to begin July 1, stipulated both NIL compensation and a promise not to enroll or play elsewhere. Wisconsin is arguing that Miami’s actions constitute tortious interference with this legally binding arrangement. On the other hand, Lucas’s attorney, Darren Heitner, contends that Wisconsin failed to enter Lucas into the NCAA transfer portal within two business days of his December request, a violation of NCAA policy, thus nullifying their claims.
Another interesting development coming from the lawsuit is the Big Ten Conference publicly supporting Wisconsin and claiming Miami’s potential induction as deeply troubling. The league defends the enforceability of NIL commitments and the importance of upholding contractual and ethical standards in the evolving college-athletics landscape.
This lawsuit carries heavy weight as it is in the wake of a major shift in college athletics. In 2021, the ruling from House v. NCAA authorized lucrative NIL deals as well as the 2024 House v. NCAA settlement allowing direct athlete payments beginning July 1. Schools have since used multi‑year NIL agreements to tether players to their rosters. Now, Wisconsin is testing the limits of enforcement, asking if NIL commitments can legally block players from transferring.
Wisconsin’s lawsuit against Miami marks a turning point: it’s a fully public legal test at the intersection of elite recruiting, NIL deals, and transfer rights. The implications will reach far beyond Xavier Lucas and potentially reshaping how schools and athletes negotiate and litigate commitments in this new era of college athletics.
