Oregon State Women’s Basketball Team Files for Union Representation
On July 31, 2026, the Oregon State University women’s basketball program made headlines by filing a petition with the Oregon Employment Relations Board to become the first collegiate women’s athletic team to seek union representation at a public institution.
The move is being coordinated by the United College Athletes Association (UCAA), a coalition formed in 2021 that now counts over 100 women’s basketball players from across the country who have signed authorization cards. UCAA argues that NCAA athletes are effectively employees of their schools and should be entitled to collective bargaining over revenue sharing, minimum salaries and working conditions.
Graham Trainor, president of the Oregon Labor Federation, issued a statement praising the petition, noting that the NCAA’s multibillion‑dollar operations are built on the labor of college athletes. He highlighted Oregon’s progressive labor statutes that give the effort a favorable legal backdrop.
Among the Oregon State players leading the drive are Mikayla Pivec, Jenna Villa and Talia von Oelhoffen, who together accounted for ten of the thirteen signatories. Von Oelhoffen also serves as UCAA’s social media director, while Cameron Brink, a native of Oregon and current WNBA player, provides advisory support.
The push follows a series of earlier attempts that have either faltered or been withdrawn, such as Northwestern’s 2014 football petition and a 2024 Dartmouth men’s basketball effort. Yet the current campaign enjoys unprecedented backing from state labor officials and a growing network of athlete advocates.
A New Era for Collegiate Athlete Rights
If the petition is successful, the resulting union would be governed by Oregon state law rather than federal statutes, potentially reshaping how collegiate sports negotiate compensation and working conditions nationwide.
The outcome of the Oregon State case could serve as a blueprint for other states considering similar measures, especially as more programs explore collective bargaining avenues. While the NCAA has yet to comment formally, the development signals a shifting landscape where athlete rights are moving from the periphery to the center of collegiate sports discourse.