On Friday, Judge Claudia Wilken approved a monumental settlement that will change the college athletics landscape. The settlement approval allows schools to pay athletes directly from a revenue-sharing collective.
The revenue-sharing salary is capped at $20.5 million for the 2025-2026 season, but is projected to increase during the ten-year contract.
The NCAA will also make back payments of $2.8 billion over the next decade to athletes who competed from 2016 to the present.
Since the NCAA will make payments to atheltes from 2016 to the present, here are the top three Iowa athletes that should make the most from the settlement.
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women's Basketball (2020-2024)
Widely considered the most outstanding athlete in Iowa athletics history, Caitlin Clark should command a large sum from the NCAA settlement. Clark was a superstar for the Iowa Women's Basketball program and put the program on the map.
The former Iowa superstar averaged a ridiculous 28.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game in four seasons. She led the Hawkeyes to four straight NCAA Tournament berths, including back-to-back Championship game appearances (2023, 2024).
Clark also had a ridiculous amount of accolades in her career.
During her senior season, Clark was named the National Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. She also earned unanimous First Team All-Big Ten honors, Big Ten Tournament Most Valuable Player, and All-Big Ten Tournament Team Honors.
She became the first Iowa Women's Basketball player to be named a First Team All-Big Ten selection in all four seasons.
She also earned the 2024 Wooden Award (best player in the country), 2024 Nancy Lieberman Point Guard of the Year, First Team All-American, USBWA All-American, WBCA All-American, and All-Regional honors.
Clark also broke the record for the most points in a season, set the NCAA all-time scoring record, and is the only Division I player to record 3,800-plus points, 1,000-plus assists, and 950-plus rebounds in a career.
Spencer Lee, Iowa Men's Wrestling (2017-2023)
Five-time All-American wrestler Spencer Lee should also command a hefty fee from the NCAA settlement. Lee was a force for the Hawkeyes in the 125-pound weight class, carrying on the tradition of great wrestlers from Iowa.
During his five-year Hawkeye career, Lee finished with a 98-6 record, including 40 first-period falls. He was also a perfect 26-0 inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
One of the most impressive achievements on Lee's resume is his 58-match winning streak from 2019-2023, outscoring opponents 673-77.
Lee is a two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner (best collegiate wrestler), three-time NCAA Champion (125 pounds), three-time Big Ten Champion, three-time Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, the 2023 Big Ten Wrestling Tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler, and the 2018 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
Luka Garza, Iowa Men's Basketball (2017-2021)
Former Iowa Men's Basketball superstar Luka Garza did not set the league on fire when he first arrived on campus. He became the best player in the country and one of the top Iowa Men's Basketball players of all time.
During his junior year (2019-2020), Garza averaged 23.9 points on 59 percent shooting and 9.8 rebounds per game. He was a Naismith Player of the Year finalist, National Player of the Year, Big Ten Player of the Year, a unanimous First Team All-American, and the Naismith Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year.
He also set the single-season scoring record for the Iowa Men's Basketball program (740 points).
His final season in Iowa City was his best. Garza averaged 24.1 points on 59.6 percent shooting, 8.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. He earned the Naismith Award (best college player) and was named the Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year.
He was also named the Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year, the Lute Olsen National Player of the Year, the Sporting News National Player of the Year, won the Oscar Robertson Trophy, and was a unanimous First Team All-Big Ten and All-American selection.
Garza also set Iowa's new all-time scoring record with 2,306 career points.
Kaleb Johnson, Iowa Football (2022-2024)
Iowa Football has been extremely consistent under Iowa Head Coach Kirk Ferentz. The Hawkeyes have had 12 consecutive winning seasons, dating back to 2013. One of the biggest reasons over the past few seasons is running Kaleb Johnson.
Johnson flew under the radar nationally due to the abysmal Iowa offense, but was a workhorse in the Iowa backfield.
During his three seasons with the Hawkeyes, Johnson tallied 2,779 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns with 240 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Johnson's best season was his final season in Iowa City (2024-2025). Last season, he racked up 1,537 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns, all career highs. The 21 touchdowns broke Shonn Greene's former school record of 20 that he set in 2008.
After a dynamic junior season, Johnson entered the 2025 NFL Draft and was selected No. 83 overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Hawkeye athletics program was lucky to have these four superstar athletes on campus around the same time. They are the top four athletes who should receive the most money from the NCAA settlement.