The $2.8 billion NCAA settlement awaiting final approval from a federal judge is touted as a solution for thousands of athletes to finally get the money they deserve and provide some clarity to recruiting. For some, it’s too late.

Sophomore distance runner Jake Rimmel says he was one of five walk-ons cut from Virginia Tech’s cross country team after Thanksgiving break. Rimmel decided to take a leave of absence and train independently while considering his next move – something that’s proven easier said than done.

kAm“tG6CJ@?6’D 8@E E96:C 92?5D E:65 C:89E ?@H[ D@ E96C6’D ;FDE ?@E >2?J @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C >6[” #:>>6= E@=5 E96 pDD@4:2E65 !C6DD] “x’G6 ;FDE 366? 92G:?8 E@ 36E @? >JD6=7 2?5 ECFDE E96 AC@46DD] xE’D ;FDE 366? =@?6=J] x’G6 366? 2E 9@>6 EC2:?:?8 3J >JD6=7 2?5 =:G:?8 H:E9 >J 72>:=J 282:?] %92?< v@5 7@C >J 72>:=J 2?5 2==[ x 2AAC64:2E6 E96>] xE’D DE:== <:?5 @7 =@?6=J E9@F89[ 36:?8 @FE @7 E96 ?@C>[ ?@E 36:?8 2E D49@@= 2?5 H:E9 >J 7C:6?5D]Qk^Am

kAm!6?5:?8 2AAC@G2=[ E96 D@\42==65 w@FD6 D6EE=6>6?E H:== 2==@H D49@@=D E@ D92C6 C6G6?F6 H:E9 2E9=6E6D 5:C64E=J 7@C FD6 @7 E96:C ?2>6[ :>286 2?5 =:<6?6DD W}x{X] %92E 4@F=5 D64FC6 86?6C2E:@?2= H62=E9 7@C D@>6 3FE ?@E @E96CD[ 2?5 C6A=24:?8 D49@=2CD9:A 42AD H:E9 C@DE6C =:>:E2E:@?D 😀 6IA64E65 E@ =62G6 H2=<\@?D[ A2CE:2= D49@=2CD9:A 62C?6CD[ k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^@=J>A:4D\a_ac\?422\C6G6?F6\D92C:?8\6g5g27354c3b6fc4a25aehd6fa4gbg2aQm?@?\C6G6?F6 DA@CE 2E9=6E6Dk^2m 2?5 9:89 D49@@= C64CF:ED 2E C:D<] %96C6 2C6 566A 4@?46C?D 23@FE E96 A@E6?E:2= :>A24E @? k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^>2C49\>25?6DD\@=J>A:4D\?:=\7ff22b653gh5`c3hgcfha4ff2a63`hcaQmDA@CED E92E 7665 E96 &]$] ~=J>A:4k^2m E62>D]k^Am

kAm&]$] s:DEC:4E yF586 r=2F5:2 (:=<6? E@=5 2EE@C?6JD 92?5=:?8 E96 D6EE=6>6?E E@ 4@>6 324< E@ 96C k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^2CE:4=6^?422\9@FD6\D6EE=6>6?E\b735bb44`c664_5bh4bc5e57ef5dc553QmH:E9 2 A=2? D@@? E@ AC@E64E 2E9=6E6Dk^2m 4FCC6?E=J @C C646?E=J @? C@DE6CD 2E D49@@=D 24C@DD E96 4@F?ECJ[ 2 C6BF6DE D66? 2D 2 H2J E@ D@7E6? E96 3=@H]k^Am

kAm(92E E92E =@@>6= 92G6 ?@ :562 H96C6 E96J >:89E 36 E9:D 72== @C 2C6 😕 ;6@A2C5J @7 ?@ =@?86C A=2J:?8 4@==686 DA@CED 2E 2==] p?5 >2?J 2E9=6E6D 32=2?4:?8 D49@@= 2?5 E96:C DA@CE 2C6 F?2H2C6 @7 H92E’D 2E DE2<6 2?5 92G6 >@C6 BF6DE:@?D E92? 2?DH6CD]k^Am

kAmq6=>@?E EC24< 2?5 7:6=5 2E9=6E6 $23C:?2 ~@ED3FC8 D2:5 6G6CJE9:?8 D96 @HD 23@FE E96 D6EE=6>6?E 😀 7C@> A6CD@?2= C6D62C49]k^Am

kAm“|J D49@@= 5@6D?’E 5@ 2 =@E @7 65F42E:@? 2C@F?5 :E WE96 D6EE=6>6?EX] tG6CJ ?@H 2?5 E96?[ H6’== 36 E@=5[ ‘w6J[ :7 J@F H2?E E@ D:8? FA E@ A@E6?E:2==J 86E D@>6 >@?6J 7C@> E9:D w@FD6 D6EE=6>6?E E92E’D 92AA6?:?8[ J@F 42? 5@ E92E[’” ~@ED3FC8 D2:5] “xE’D 2=>@DE =:<6 E96 65F42E:@? H6’C6 36:?8 8:G6? 😀 @AE:@?2= E@ 4@?DF>6[ 6G6? E9@F89 :E’D =:>:E65]”k^Am

kAm~@DE3FC8 😀 FD65 E@ E2<:?8 >2EE6CD :?E@ 96C @H? 92?5D[ D64FC:?8 @G6C d_ }x{ 562=D 3J 96CD6=7] $96 92D 4@?E24E65 =2HJ6CD 2?5 2D<65 7@C FA52E6D @? E96 D6EE=6>6?E[ 3FE D96’D ?@E BF:E6 C62DDFC65] %96 492@E:4 ?2EFC6 @7 4@==686 2E9=6E:4D D@ @3G:@FD E@ E96 AF3=:4 😀 6G6? H@CD6 7@C E96 2E9=6E6D E96>D6=G6D]k^Am

kAm“q6:?8 2 4@==686 2E9=6E6[ :E’D D@ 92C5 E@ DE2J FA E@ 52E6 H:E9 H92E’D 92AA6?:?8 6G6CJ 52J 3642FD6 :E’D D@ 4@?DE2?E=J 492?8:?8[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm$>2==6C[ ?@?\C6G6?F6\86?6C2E:?8 AC@8C2>D 5@?’E @7E6? 92G6 2 A@:?E A6CD@? E@ ?2G:82E6 }x{ 562=D @C 65F42E6 2E9=6E6D] pE q6=>@?E[ ~@ED3FC8 D2:5[ }x{\C6=2E65 C6DA@?D:3:=:E:6D 2C6 >2?2865 3J 2? 2=C625J 3FDJ 4@>A=:2?46 @77:46]k^Am

kAm“%@ E2<6 E:>6 E@ =62C? 23@FE H92E’D 92AA6?:?8 😀 ;FDE D@ E:>6\4@?DF>:?8[ 6DA64:2==J :7 J@F’C6 ?@E 😕 E92E @?6 A6C46?E @C @?6 @7 E96 7@@E32== A=2J6CD H96C6 E96J 92G6 A6@A=6 565:42E65 E@ 96=A:?8 E96> DE2J FA E@ 52E6[” D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmu@C ?@H[ E9@FD2?5D @7 2E9=6E6D 2C6 ECJ:?8 E@ HC2A FA E96:C DAC:?8 D6>6DE6CD 2?5 >2?J @7 E96> 92G6 =628F6 E@FC?2>6?ED @C 6G6? }rpp 492>A:@?D9:A 4@>A6E:E:@? 29625 367@C6 H92E >2?J 6IA64E H:== 36 E96 7:?2= DF>>6C 367@C6 4@==686 DA@CED D66D D@>6 @7 E96 >@DE 5C2>2E:4 492?86D 😕 9:DE@CJ] u@C 2E9=6E6D =:<6 #:>>6=[ E9@D6 492?86D 2C6 2=C625J 96C6]k^Am

kAm$@>6 @7 E96 @E96CD 4FE 7C@> E96 ‘:C8:?:2 %649 AC@8C2> 92G6 8:G6? FA @? E96:C 5C62>D @7 4@==68:2E6 CF??:?8 2=E@86E96C] #:>>6= 92D?VE 8:G6? FA 4@>A=6E6=Jj 96 DA@<6 H:E9 9:D 7@C>6C 4@249 C646?E=J[ H9@ D2:5 E96 w@<:6DV 2E9=6E:4D 56A2CE>6?E 😀 DE:== ECJ:?8 E@ 7:8FC6 @FE H92E’D E@ 4@>6]k^Am

kAm“x’> DE:== <:?5 @7 9@A:?8 x >:89E 36 23=6 E@ 7:?5 >J H2J 324< E96C6 ?6IE 72==[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am

k9C ^m

kAmp! 4@==686 DA@CEDi k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^4@==686\DA@CEDQm9EEADi^^2A?6HD]4@>^9F3^4@==686\DA@CEDk^2mk^Am

Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.