Utah Valley University Statement on WAC Litigation

Up till this level, Utah Valley University (UVU) has avoided publicly commenting on its present dispute with the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), and as an alternative introduced its case in court docket. Recent public statements from the WAC, nevertheless, have pressured UVU to make clear by the next public assertion:
UVU and the WAC are concerned in litigation over UVU’s impending exit from the WAC as of July 1, 2026, and the WAC’s failure to pay UVU roughly $2.3 million which quantity contains NCAA distributions UVU pupil athletes have earned. These funds are important to help and administer athletics on the college.
Based on an settlement reached between the WAC and its members on June 21, 2024, UVU doesn’t consider it’s required to pay an exit price in reference to its departure from the WAC; it’s because the college fulfilled its obligation to stay within the convention by June 30, 2026. However, the WAC sued UVU in Texas, in search of fee of a $1 million exit price, and has tried on a number of events to bar UVU from the WAC post-season tournaments till it’s paid. UVU instantly and correctly challenged the jurisdiction of a Texas court docket to determine these essential authorized points for Utah’s largest public college.
UVU additionally counter-sued the WAC and efficiently secured two injunction orders from Utah’s Fourth Judicial District Court (the “Court”). The first order was a brief restraining order, issued on February 24, 2026, that lasted for 14 days. The second order, a preliminary injunction, was issued on March 6, 2026.
Specifically, the March 6, 2026, ruling and order getting into a preliminary injunction (“preliminary injunction order”) ordered the next:
1. Defendant, Western Athletic Conference (“WAC”), is hereby ORDERED to instantly reinstate UVU to all WAC-sponsored media broadcasts;
2. The WAC is additional ORDERED to permit all UVU groups and student-athletes to take part in all upcoming WAC and NCAA post-season tournaments and/or championships; and
3. The WAC is additional ORDERED to reinstate the eligibility of UVU groups, coaches, and student-athletes for post-season awards consideration.
To be clear, UVU has not paid a settlement or an exit price to the WAC. While litigation is pending, and as a part of the authorized proceedings, UVU has agreed to put $1 million in an escrow account overseen by the Court. If UVU prevails within the litigation, that $1 million will likely be returned to UVU.
On March 10, 2026, the WAC printed a unilateral declaration and self-imposed deadline in regards to the aforementioned $1 million fee. The Court had not established a deadline. Furthermore, in UVU’s interpretation, the motion threatened by the WAC to bar UVU from the associated basketball tournaments would have been an overt violation of the Court’s preliminary injunction order.
In an order issued on March 11, 2026, the Court acknowledged that “The Utah 4th District Court is in receipt of the escrow funds referenced in this Court’s order granting preliminary injunction issued March 6, 2026. Upon issuance of the March 6th ruling, Utah Valley University was immediately in contact with the Court seeking direction as to how to place funds on account. Once the court properly instructed UVU as to the deposit mechanisms, escrow funds were deposited as soon as practicable.” Despite the WAC’s public misrepresentation, UVU has at all times been and can stay in compliance with any court docket’s orders.
UVU will proceed to defend its student-athletes’ rights to compete, and appears ahead to a speedy decision to the matter.