DIEGO PAVIA v. NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION - Articles

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DIEGO PAVIA v. NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Oct 1, 2025

Court: 6th Circuit Court (Published Opinions)

Attorneys 1: ARGUED: Rakesh Kilaru, WILKINSON STEKLOFF LLP, Washington, D.C., for Appellant.

Attorneys 2: Ryan Downton, THE TEXAS TRIAL GROUP, Dorado, Puerto Rico, for Appellee.

Attorneys 3: ON BRIEF: Rakesh Kilaru, Daniel Epps, WILKINSON STEKLOFF LLP, Washington, D.C., for Appellant.

Attorneys 4: ON BRIEF: Ryan Downton, THE TEXAS TRIAL GROUP, Dorado, Puerto Rico, Salvador M. Hernandez, RILEY & JACOBSON, PLC, Nashville, Tennessee, for Appellee.

Attorneys 5: ON BRIEF: Jessica L. Ellsworth, Reedy C. Swanson, HOGAN LOVELLS US LLP, Washington, D.C., for Amici Curiae.

Judge(s): THAPAR, READLER, and HERMANDORFER, Circuit Judges

Court Appealed: United States District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee at Nashville

THAPAR, Circuit Judge. After a breakout year in 2024, Diego Pavia wanted to continue playing quarterback for Vanderbilt University during the 2025 football season. But National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility rules barred him from playing. So he sued the NCAA. After he won a preliminary injunction, the NCAA appealed. But in the meantime, the NCAA gave Pavia exactly what he wanted—a waiver that guaranteed he could play for Vanderbilt in 2025. Because that waiver provides Pavia complete relief at the preliminary- injunction stage, we dismiss the NCAA’s appeal as moot.

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