Victory Vaka transfers to Middle Tennessee after NCAA lawsuit
The former Western Kentucky defensive tackle is eligible immediately after a scholarship dispute blocked his path into the transfer portal.
Victory Vaka signed with Middle Tennessee five days after entering the transfer portal, securing a final season of college football after filing a lawsuit against the NCAA on Aug. 5. The redshirt senior transferred to Western Kentucky from Texas Southern and had planned to return for the 2026 season.
Vaka lost his Western Kentucky scholarship on May 27 after the school classified his failure to report with the team as a failure to report. He had returned to California to grieve his mother's death. The designation prevented him from entering the portal through the NCAA's aid-reduction-or-cancellation exception.
Rapper Lil Wayne paid the legal costs associated with attorney Darren Heitner's representation and flew Vaka and his brother to his Aug. 1 concert. The NCAA and Heitner discussed an out-of-court settlement before those talks fell apart.
a major lifesaver
Vaka is eligible to play immediately for Middle Tennessee, which opens its season Sept. 5 against Murray State.