As Candace Parker embarked on her legendary WNBA career following her time at Tennessee, she signed an endorsement deal with adidas. After her retirement, she became the company’s president of women’s basketball.

Now, her alma mater is preparing to return to the brand she wore on Rocky Top. Tennessee announced Wednesday it is signing a 10-year deal with adidas, which also includes NIL opportunities for Vols and Lady Vols athletes.

Tennessee previously had an agreement with adidas, which expired in 2014. Now, UT is returning to the brand, Parker reacted to the news in a press release from Tennessee. She expressed excitement for what the future holds.

“From my days rocking the orange and white to now leading on and off the court, adidas has always had my back with the best gear and support,” Parker said in a statement. “Seeing adidas link back up with Tennessee feels like coming full circle. I know this partnership is going to open a ton of doors for the next generation of Vols – and I couldn’t be more hype about it.”

Parker’s partnership with adidas began in 2008, and her signature shoe with the company launched in 2010 – making her the ninth player in league history to debut a sneaker. She officially joined adidas in an executive role in 2024 while also serving as a TV analyst for TNT Sports.

More on Tennessee’s return to adidas

In Wednesday’s announcement, Tennessee said the deal with adidas includes “unprecedented NIL opportunities” for athletes at the school. Yahoo! Sports’ Ross Dellenger reported players will get a slice of the pie, and adidas is even working quickly to secure deals with Vols athletes this school year. The new contract doesn’t officially start until next school year.

The NIL component of Tennessee’s deal with adidas – which could be worth at least $10 million, according to Dellenger – is especially important in the post-House v. NCAA settlement landscape. Under the agreement, schools can share up to $20.5 million directly with athletes through revenue-sharing. However, there isn’t a cap on third-party NIL deals, meaning adidas can effectively help with “over-the-cap” opportunities.

Tennessee left adidas in 2014 to sign with Nike, and the amended deal runs through 2026. Through the partnership, the university is set to receive $1.2 million in base compensation in 2025-26 and $4.5 million in annual product allotment.

UT initially signed its deal with Nike in 2014, and the original contract paid the school $7.6 million through 2022-23. However, the amendment increased that figure to 11.6 million over 11 years and increased the scheduled payment to $1.2 million for the final three years of the agreement, starting in 2023-24.

STARKVILLE – Mississippi State Athletics has announced two significant additions to its executive leadership team, further strengthening the department’s progressive approach to the new era of college athletics which includes strategic financial modeling, roster and cap management, NIL advancement and student-athlete talent acquisition. 
 
Mitch Moser has been appointed Deputy Athletics Director and Chief Financial Officer, bringing more than 30 years of experience in higher education finance and athletic administration. In this role, Moser will oversee all aspects of the department’s financial operations, while providing strategic fiscal planning and implementation guidance aligned with the evolving intercollegiate athletics model. His leadership will be central to Mississippi State’s revenue-sharing strategy, budget structure, cap management and long-term capital funding efforts.
 
“My family and I are beyond thrilled to join the Mississippi State Family,” Moser said. “In today’s ever-changing landscape, innovation, forward thinking and elite competition aren’t just important – they’re essential. From my first conversations with Zac, it was clear he values these principles at the highest level, making Mississippi State an undeniable destination for us. We can’t wait to embrace the opportunities ahead and are truly grateful for the chance to contribute to new heights for this athletics department.”
 

Moser has held senior administrative roles at Rice and Duke, most recently serving as Deputy Director of Athletics/Resource Development & Management/CFO at Duke. He later led strategic planning efforts for institutions across the country through his work with Huron Consulting Group. His experience spans resource generation, scenario-based fiscal modeling, master facility planning and the successful execution of major department-wide initiatives.
 
Greg Phillips has been named Deputy Athletics Director for Talent Management Services, a newly created division which will lead all aspects of student-athlete acquisition, brand development, NIL integration, contracting and related budgetary and compliance operations. Phillips will oversee the development of a comprehensive talent strategy that includes fiscal oversight, market evaluation and strategic brand alignment for current and future student-athletes.
 
“My wife, Deanna, and I are honored and excited to begin this new chapter at Mississippi State,” Phillips said. “Throughout my career, I’ve been fortunate to work alongside elite coaches, players, agents, and administrators during times of great transformation. As college athletics continues to evolve, it has never been more important to remain agile, intentional, and strategic in our approach. What stood out immediately when visiting with Zac about Mississippi State was the strong alignment and unwavering commitment to excellence. This is a department prepared to meet the moment, and we are deeply grateful for the opportunity to join such a passionate community. We look forward to contributing to the success and continued momentum of Mississippi State Athletics.”
 
A former senior executive at IMG and longtime athletics administrator at Oklahoma and Florida State, Phillips brings a unique blend of corporate, consulting and collegiate experience. Most recently, he served as CEO of NorthStar Leadership Strategies, where he advised university presidents, athletics directors and executives across sports and business on growth, performance and leadership strategy.
 
In addition, KK Seago has joined Mississippi State Athletics as Director of Business Partnerships within the Bulldog Club. In this role, Seago will focus on developing third-party NIL and business development opportunities for student-athletes, while building strong relationships with university units and external stakeholders. A Jackson native and Mississippi State graduate, she brings valuable experience from her previous work in political fundraising and corporate partnerships in Washington, D.C. For more information on how to partner with MSU student-athletes email Seago at kseago@athletics.msstate.edu.

The trio of Moser, Phillips and Seago began their respective roles in the department this summer.

 

MOSCOW, Idaho–  Idaho soccer begins the 2025 slate with UC Riverside Thursday, Aug. 14 at 7 p.m. on the pitch at the P1FCU Kibbie Dome. The game is the season opener for two programs in different situations. The Vandals are coming off of their third consecutive trip to the Big Sky title match while Riverside is coming off of a 2-13-4 season that culminated in a leadership change.
 
ABOUT IDAHO
Four starters return for the Vandals, including leading scorer Annika Farley and starting goalkeeper Paula Flores along with veteran forward Karli Yoshida-Williams and midfielder Sara Rodgers. Eleven letterwinners returned, but Idaho brought in six transfers and nine freshmen to bolster the roster this season.
The Vandals have won double-digit games in each of the last four seasons and have made the Big Sky Championship match three years in a row, falling in a shootout in two of the three years while advancing to the NCAA tournament in 2023.
Farley, Rodgers, Yoshida-Williams and KV Miller combined for 14 of Idaho’s 35 goals last season. On the defensive side, Flores recorded eight shutouts.
 
ABOUT RIVERSIDE
Riverside welcomes new head coach Mike Dibbini to the fold. The Highlanders bring back 15 players, but added 13 players to the rosters, including a pair of Idaho State transfers. Dibbini comes from Kansas State where he coached for nine seasons, compiling a 38-98-21 record. He coached for two seasons at Cal Poly Pomona before going to Kansas State. His overall career NCAA record is 59-11-27. Returners Julianna Hernandez, Sanaa Guyness and Kyleigh Sekulich all scored one goal each for Riverside last season.
 
PRESEASON HONORS
Idaho graduate midfielder Annika Farley was named to the All-Big Sky Preseason team and the United Soccer Coaches Midfielder Watch List released before the season began.
Farley, a returning First-Team All-Big Sky honoree led Idaho with five goals and 13 points on the season after starting in every game for the Vandals.
 
A team captain for 2025, she helped the Vandal defense record eight shutouts on the year while contributing on the offensive end of the field.
Junior Izzy Thoma was named to the Preseason All-Big Sky team as a Defender. She played in all 20 games a season ago.
 
PRESEASON COACHES POLL
As a team, the Vandals were picked third behind preseason favorite Montana and No. 2 Eastern Washington. Idaho is the only team to make the Big Sky Championship match each of the last three seasons.
 
SUPER SCHEDULE
The Vandals play an outstanding schedule this season, which includes a trip to Big Ten Washington, an East Coast swing at UMass Lowell and Stonehill College and home non-conference games against Washington State, South Dakota, UTEP and Boise State.
 

Mercer at #22 Oklahoma State

Thurs., Aug. 14 • 7 p.m.

Stillwater, Okla. • Neal Patterson Stadium

  

#22 Oklahoma State at Oklahoma

Sun., Aug. 17 • 7 p.m.

Norman, Okla. • John Crain Field

 
TV/Video: Thursday – ESPN+ (Dave Saunders & Anna Berghall)

                    Sunday – SEC Network+ (Chade McKee &
Radio: The Varsity Network/Stillwater Radio KGFY 105.5 FM (Ryan Breeden)
Live Stats: okstate.statbroadcast.com
Twitter In-Game Scoreboard/Updates: @CowgirlFC
 
 

About Oklahoma State

     • Oklahoma State is coming off a 14-5-3 season in which it finished fifth in the Big 12 Conference standings with a 6-3-2 mark and earned a berth in the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship, where the Cowgirls lost in the first round to No. 2 national seed Arkansas.
     • OSU returns seven players who started at least 10 games for the Cowgirls last season, including All-Big 12 performers Gracie Bindbeutel, Xcaret Pineda and Laudan Wilson.
     • Head coach Colin Carmichael enters his 21st season at the helm in 2025 with a career record of 265-110-53 (.681).
 

Three Decades

     The 2024 season marks the 30th in program history, and Oklahoma State has built itself into one of women’s college soccer’s top programs.
     • Over its first 29 seasons, OSU posted a 348-190-66 (.631) record.
     • OSU has made 14 appearances in the NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship. The Cowgirls have earned a NCAA tourney berth in 13 of the last 19 years (beginning in 2006) and seven of the last 12.
     • From 2006-11, the Cowgirls earned six-straight NCAA tourney bids and advanced to at least the second round each time, including back-to-back Elite Eight appearances in 2010 and 2011.
     • From 2008-11, OSU celebrated four consecutive Big 12 championships — two regular season (2008, ’11) and two tournament (’09, ’10). The Cowgirls also won regular season titles in 2017 and 2019.
     • Six Cowgirls have earned All-America honors, with Yolanda Odenyo, AD Franch, Melinda Mercado, Haley Woodard, Kim Rodriguez and Grace Yochum on that elite list.
 

Last Time Out

     OSU traveled to Tulsa for a preseason exhibition match last week and claimed a 2-0 victory. Gracie Bindbeutel and Xcaret Pineda scored goals for the Cowgirls, while Logan Marks (first half) and Caroline Dill (second half) combined for the shutout.
     The Cowgirls outshot TU by a 10-2 margin, with seven of those shots on goal, and also owned a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
 

Scouting The Opponents

     • Mercer is coming off an 11-5-3 season in which it finished tied for third in the Southern Conference with a 5-2-2 league mark.  
     • Tony Economopoulos is in his 13th season as Mercer’s head coach and has led the Bears to 125 wins. Economopoulos was an assistant coach on Oklahoma State’s staff from 2007-09.
     • OSU is 3-0-0 all time against Mercer. The last meeting came in 2022 with the Cowgirls claiming a 3-1 win in Stillwater.
     • Oklahoma opens the 2025 season Thursday at home against Creighton. The Sooners are coming off a season in which they finished 10-7-1.
     • Matt Mott is in his third season as OU’s head coach and owns an 18-17-3 mark. Mott previously coached at Ole Miss for 13 seasons, and his career head coaching record stands at 157-114-35.
     • The Cowgirls are 32-10-5 all time against their Bedlam rivals, including a 1-0 win last season in Stillwater. The 32 victories is OSU’s most against any opponent, with the next highest being its 17 wins over Kansas.
 

In The Rankings

     OSU is ranked No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches Preseason Poll. It marks the first time the Cowgirls have been ranked to open a season since 2021 when they were No. 16 in the preseason rankings.
     In 2024, the Cowgirls appeared in the national rankings for eight weeks. On Aug. 19, they entered the national rankings for the first time since Aug. 30, 2021, when they came in at No. 17 in the United Soccer Coaches and TopDrawerSoccer.com polls; the Cowgirls remained in the polls for four consecutive weeks before dropping out on Sept. 30/Oct. 1. During that time, they climbed as high as No. 11 in the Aug. 27th United Soccer Coaches poll, their highest ranking since they were No. 11 in both the United Soccer Coaches and TopDrawerSoccer.com polls on Nov. 17, 2020.    
     OSU also spent two weeks in the TopDrawerSoccer.com polls from Oct. 21-Nov. 4.
     The Cowgirls finished the 2024 season No. 31 in the official NCAA RPI.
 

It’s An Honor

     OSU returns four players who were recognized with Big 12 honors in 2024 in All-Big 12 First Team midfielders Xcaret Pineda and Laudan Wilson, All-Big 12 Second Team forward Gracie Bindbeutel and defender Katelyn Hoppers, who was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman Team.
     The Cowgirls also added transfer Jazmin Brown, who was an All-Big 12 Second Team defender at Kansas State a year ago.
 

Preseason Love

     Three Cowgirls were named to the 27-member Preseason All-Big 12 Team, which is voted on by the league’s head coaches. Midfielders Xcaret Pineda and Laudan Wilson and defender Jazmin Brown all collected the honor.
     Additionally, Pineda was named to the TopDrawerSoccer.com Preseason Best XI Third Team and was ranked No. 30 on the outlet’s National Top 100 list.
 

Dynamic Duo

     Senior Xcaret Pineda and junior Laudan Wilson are both on the United Soccer Coaches 2025 Women’s Midfielders to Watch list, which is compiled and released by the Division I All-America Committee.
 

X Gives It To Ya

     Senior midfielder Xcaret Pineda is a proven veteran and enters her final collegiate season looking to build on the attacking numbers that have made her a two-time All-Big 12 performer.
     In 61 career games, 59 of those starts, Pineda has recorded 14 goals and 11 assists while taking 135 shots.
 

She’s A Giver

     Laudan Wilson tallied nine assists last season as a sophomore, which ranked second in the Big 12 and was the most assists in a season by a Cowgirl since Jaci Jones had 12 in 2019.
     Wilson has 15 assists in her two seasons in Stillwater, five away from cracking the top 10 list in program history.
 

Home Sweet Home

     OSU has won 77 percent of its games in seven seasons at Neal Patterson Stadium, which opened in 2018. The Cowgirls are 50-13-6 (.768) on their current home turf, including a 7-3-1 mark last season.
     OSU has gone undefeated at home in seven seasons in its history, the last time coming in 2019.
 

Coach Colin

     Colin Carmichael has been a member of the OSU coaching staff for each of the program’s 30 seasons, including 21 as a head coach. He has been named Big 12 Coach of the Year a conference-record six times.
     Carmichael entered the 2025 season with 265 career wins in 20 seasons, ranking third among active Big 12 coaches in wins at their current school behind only BYU’s Jennifer Rockwood (464 wins in 31 seasons) and West Virginia’s Nikki Izzo-Brown (402 wins in 29 seasons).
 

Cowgirl Country

     Oklahoma State’s 2025 roster includes players from 11 states as well as Canada and Australia. Seven Texans dot the roster, while the Cowgirls have three players each from Oklahoma, Kansas and Canada.