Two years ago, Michigan was in a massive controversy regarding the alleged poaching of players in the ‘dead period,’ which disallowed coaches to contact players. The acts resulted in heavy scrutiny from the media and fans alike, but when it came to any solid action? The NCAA has not shown any willingness to address the issue. A similar thing, as alleged by a Big 10 program, happened when their player, Xavier Lucas, transferred to Miami after being disallowed to enter the transfer portal. Now the program is out to set a precedent, and the Big 10? The conference is backing the move and has come out with a powerful statement.
On December 2, 2024, Lucas had signed a two-year revenue-sharing deal with the Wisconsin Badgers before the approval of the House v NCAA settlement. The deal was set to come into effect on July 1st, 2025, and initially, it had “substantial financial compensation” attached to it. However, the deal came crashing down for Wisconsin after the player requested to transfer. The program denied listing Lucas in the transfer portal, but Lucas went with it anyway.
As per reports, Lucas initially withdrew from the classes at Wisconsin and later enrolled at Miami in January 2025, without having entered the transfer portal. Wisconsin, on the other hand, alleged poaching on the part of Miami, and this has been the stance of the Big 10 program ever since. However, recently, Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against Miami to set a landmark precedent, seeking unspecified damages and accountability from Miami. The Big 10 has now released a statement supporting the move.
“The Big Ten Conference is aware of the litigation recently filed by the University of Wisconsin-Madison against the University of Miami and is supportive of UW-Madison’s position. As alleged, the University of Miami knowingly ignored contractual obligations and disregarded the principle of competitive equity that is fundamental to collegiate athletics. The Big Ten Conference believes that the University of Miami’s actions are irreconcilable with a sustainable college sports framework and is supportive of UW-Madison’s efforts to preserve it,” Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports posted Big10’s statement on his X account.
The Big Ten Conference is supporting Wisconsin’s decision to take legal action, the league tells @YahooSports. https://t.co/zs2CkjNAhf
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) June 20, 2025
This is a developing story…
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