Taylor v. Wake Forest
Court of Appeals of North Carolina
191 S.E.2d 379 (1972)
Gregg Taylor (plaintiff) received a full four-year football scholarship from Wake Forest University (defendant), agreeing in the scholarship contract to abide by the rules of the conference, the NCAA, and the school. After a low freshman-fall GPA below the school's required minimum, Taylor stopped attending football practice the following spring and his grades improved; he again stopped playing football the next fall, and his grades improved further. Wake Forest's Scholarship Committee revoked his scholarship because he had stopped participating in football. Taylor finished his degree on schedule but sued Wake Forest to recover the roughly $5,500 in costs he incurred after losing the scholarship, and Wake Forest moved for summary judgment.
Whether a university may revoke a student-athlete's scholarship when the student stops attending required athletic practices without injury or other excuse, even though his grades improved once he stopped playing.