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CHANGING TIDES

Just when we thought we had a solid understanding of the ever-evolving Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) landscape in college athletics, another significant shift is happening right here on the Hilltop. After serving as the official collective for your Georgetown Hoyas since its launch, Hoyas Rising will be winding down its operations, set to cease […]

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CHANGING TIDES

Just when we thought we had a solid understanding of the ever-evolving Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) landscape in college athletics, another significant shift is happening right here on the Hilltop. After serving as the official collective for your Georgetown Hoyas since its launch, Hoyas Rising will be winding down its operations, set to cease activities as of May 30, 2025.

This news, which began circulating recently, comes as a direct response to anticipated changes stemming from the significant House v. NCAA antitrust settlement. In accordance with an email from Lee Reed, the Francis X. Rienzo Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Georgetown is positioning itself to navigate this new era, bringing the structure for NIL opportunities directly into the University framework.

What is/was Hoyas Rising?

Launched in May 2023, Hoyas Rising quickly became a central figure in Georgetown’s NIL efforts. It was established as a stand-alone For Profit entity under Delaware state law, explicitly independent of the University. However, its stated mission was clear: to serve the University and its students.

The primary goal of Hoyas Rising was to empower Georgetown University student-athletes and help them capitalize on their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), and more importantly, their brand for lifetime success. They aimed to be a foremost supporter-funded NIL facilitation platform to position Georgetown athletics and athletes across all sports for sustained success. Their mission was to enrich, enhance, and empower student-athletes to improve their lives, communities, and futures through innovative solutions.

Hoyas Rising operated with key values, emphasizing being “athlete-first” and built to last, aiming for a sustainable NIL structure across all Georgetown sports. Education was also a core value, with plans to build comprehensive educational programs to help student-athletes navigate the NIL landscape.

Importantly, Hoyas Rising stepped in to do what the University and its athletic department staffers were barred from doing: creating or facilitating NIL opportunities for student-athletes. They facilitated these opportunities by working directly with businesses interested in partnering with athletes through NIL activities, arranging deals between businesses and athletes, and providing marketing, promotional, and logistical support while ensuring compliance with NCAA and University guidelines.

Who Was Behind It?

The collective was led by individuals with deep ties to Georgetown. The Chairperson was Tim Brosnan, a Georgetown alumnus (CAS ’80) and former CEO of Major League Baseball Enterprises. Brosnan was “personally devoted countless hours of wholly volunteer time to this critical endeavor” according to Atheletics Director Lee Reed’s email.

Other key figures included Marc Sulam (MSB ‘84), Chairperson of the Advisory Committee, and John Balkam (MSB ’13), Director of Sales and Athlete Engagement. Many other Georgetown alumni, parents, and former athletes served on the Board of Directors and Advisory Committee.

What Did Hoyas Rising Accomplish?

In its relatively short operational history, Hoyas Rising built the structure to provide capital and support from loyal alumni. They engaged fans and supporters by offering exclusive access and benefits through Membership Programs and Events. Fans could also make stand-alone donations to support the collective and student-athletes.

According to a “Year in Review” document covering June-December 2023, Hoyas Rising saw approximately 230 student-athletes from 18 varsity sports sign up, including every member of the Men’s Basketball team. They were directly involved in 51 NIL transactions and arranged 46 for third parties, totaling nearly 100 transactions involving 47 different student-athletes from six different sports. Their outreach efforts included meeting with over 700 student-athletes in person or virtually and contacting over seven hundred more by email.

Beyond direct deals, Hoyas Rising amassed thousands of followers on social media platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok. They produced a podcast called “The Hilltop Hustle” in conjunction with the Georgetown Voice, featuring GU Student Athletes. They also launched the Georgetown NIL Store, a partnership with Capstone Ink, allowing participating student-athletes to create and sell personalized merchandise using Georgetown marks and their own name/image. They even purchased rotational signage at Men’s Basketball games at Capital One Arena.

By linking sponsorships and offering financial education, Hoyas Rising helped shape Georgetown athletes in potentially life-changing ways. The organization, on X before the account went dark, described the work with athletes as the “experience of a lifetime” and conveyed that donor efforts had “forever changed the tide” of the athletics program.

Why the Change Now? The House Settlement Connection

The decision to wind down Hoyas Rising is closely tied to the anticipated resolution of the House antitrust settlement. This massive legal development in college sports is poised to usher in an era where participating colleges can directly pay athletes a share of revenue, effectively ending the traditional model of amateurism as we’ve known it. The settlement also includes a significant damages payout to former athletes.

As permitted by this settlement, Georgetown University intends to bring the structure for Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) opportunities directly into the University. This move aligns Georgetown with what they anticipate many of their peers will also do.

The plan for this transition was developed in close coordination with Hoyas Rising leadership. AD Lee Reed stated that Hoyas Rising exemplified how a collective could operate consistent with Georgetown’s mission.

What Happens Next for Georgetown NIL?

With Hoyas Rising stepping aside, Georgetown University will take direct control of NIL facilitation. This will allow the University to create direct NIL opportunities for student-athletes and develop new commercial opportunities within the University framework.

One apparent key change for supporters is that fans will now be able to make gifts to support NIL activities directly to Georgetown, and contributions will reportedly be tax-deductible—be sure to ask your tax professional first. This is a significant difference from donating to Hoyas Rising, which was definitely not tax-deductible.

The University has stated they will communicate specific information in the coming weeks about how supporters can contribute to Georgetown’s NIL efforts through this new framework. They emphasize that continued support is more critical than ever to ensure Georgetown can continue to attract top student-athletes and support our teams and coaches.

The closure of Hoyas Rising marks the end of one chapter in Georgetown’s NIL journey, a chapter filled with dedicated effort from alumni and supporters to navigate the initial phase of NIL in college sports. It exemplifies the rapidly changing landscape.

As the University takes the reins directly, it signals a new era, one where NIL is fully integrated into the athletic department’s operations and where fan support through direct university channels will play a crucial role in attracting talent and building momentum for our programs.

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Rep. Brendan Boyle Says B1G, SEC Are Rigging the College Football Playoff

On this edition of the PoliticsPA podcast, Voices of Reason, host Steve Ulrich talks with Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-02) about the changing landscape of college sports. From NIL policies and Title IX to the growing influence of major conferences, Boyle shares his concerns about fairness, the impact on Pennsylvania schools, and why this issue is […]

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June 3, 2025

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On this edition of the PoliticsPA podcast, Voices of Reason, host Steve Ulrich talks with Congressman Brendan Boyle (D-02) about the changing landscape of college sports.

From NIL policies and Title IX to the growing influence of major conferences, Boyle shares his concerns about fairness, the impact on Pennsylvania schools, and why this issue is gaining attention in Congress.

We talk about the CFP (College Football Playoff), NIL (Name, Image and Likeness), SEC (Southeastern Conference), the B1G (Big Ten Conference) and the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association).

We did not forget about politics, as we delved into the Trump Administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” and its impact on Pennsylvania.

A timely and informative discussion you won’t want to miss. “Voices of Reason” is the antidote to a political environment too often mired in animosity and hidden agendas. This podcast cultivates intelligent discussions that give way to real-world solutions even when guests don’t share the same perspectives. The key: everyone gets a fair shake. Visit www.politicspa.com for news and updates.



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Wisconsin Badgers will get chance to avenge NCAA tournament loss with added rematch

The Wisconsin Badgers’ NCAA tournament run last season ended earlier than fans wanted or expected. Greg Gard will get a chance to avenge that loss with a rematch added to the schedule for 2025-26. The program announced Tuesday that Wisconsin will face BYU in a non-conference matchup on Nov. 21. The game will be played […]

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June 3, 2025

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The Wisconsin Badgers’ NCAA tournament run last season ended earlier than fans wanted or expected.

Greg Gard will get a chance to avenge that loss with a rematch added to the schedule for 2025-26.

The program announced Tuesday that Wisconsin will face BYU in a non-conference matchup on Nov. 21.

The game will be played at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, the home arena for the Utah Jazz.

The Badgers lost to the Cougars when they played in the Round of 32 last march, falling two points short in a valiant comeback effort 91-89.

John Tonje set a school record for points in an NCAA tournament game that night with 37, but the team trailed by double-digits for much of the contest.

Tonje won’t be there to avenge the loss, but John Blackwell should still have the bad taste in his mouth from defeat when he gets his second shot at it in November.



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Steve Spurrier describes Florida’s baseball season as ‘above average’

Saturday brought a close to the 2025 baseball season for Florida, even if some off-field headlines have dominated since then. East Carolina was the one to eliminate the Gators before Coastal Carolina took the honors of advancing out of the Conway Regional and into the Super Regionals. While the end result was not what everyone […]

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June 3, 2025

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Saturday brought a close to the 2025 baseball season for Florida, even if some off-field headlines have dominated since then. East Carolina was the one to eliminate the Gators before Coastal Carolina took the honors of advancing out of the Conway Regional and into the Super Regionals.

While the end result was not what everyone in Gainesville wanted, Steve Spurrier still gave Florida a thumbs up on the season. Especially considering how SEC play began, the Ol’ Ball Coach gave the Gators credit for responding well and getting into the NCAA Tournament.

“To start off 1-11 in conference play and come back and make a run through the tournament,” Spurrier said via Another Dooley Noted Podcast. “It was an above-average year. I know Coach Sully (Kevin O’Sullivan) would say it’s not a great year, by any means. But it was above average.”

Six of the final SEC series resulted in wins for Florida, including a pair of sweeps against Missouri and South Carolina. The Tigers coming to Condron Family Park is what got the run started, as Florida went 14-4 against conference foes down the stretch. Just enough to put them into position for the NCAA Tournament.

Getting a win in Hoover, even if it was against South Carolina, certainly helped. Florida heard its name called when the full bracket was released on Monday, extending the postseason streak to 17 years.

However, results were not the same once in the field. The previous two years for O’Sullivan have produced runs to Omaha for the College World Series. Florida was even runner-up back in 2023, falling in the championship series to the LSU Tigers.

East Carolina was able to take Florida down twice this go-round. Once in the opening game and again in an elimination game on Saturday. Fairfield is the lone win the Gators could scrap together, earning a massive 17-2 win.

Spurrier describing the season as “above average” might speak to where the program, as a whole, is at the moment. Florida expects a lot of success and wants to get back to dogpiling soon. One national championship came back in 2017 and everyone wants another shot at college baseball’s crown.

This was not the season Florida would achieve that goal. O’Sullivan will get another opportunity in 2026, hoping to put together another great team. Hopefully, the overall assessment from Spurrier is a little more positive this time next year.



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Kentucky debuts in Top 35 of ESPN’s Football Power Index Rankings

ESPN revealed its first Football Power Index rankings for the 2025 season this morning, and I’m sad to report that your University of Kentucky Wildcats are not in the Top 25; however, they’re not too far outside of it. Kentucky is No. 34 in the debut rankings, one of just three SEC teams outside the […]

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June 3, 2025

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ESPN revealed its first Football Power Index rankings for the 2025 season this morning, and I’m sad to report that your University of Kentucky Wildcats are not in the Top 25; however, they’re not too far outside of it. Kentucky is No. 34 in the debut rankings, one of just three SEC teams outside the top 25 along with Mississippi State (No. 52) and Vanderbilt (No. 56).

The SEC may have taken a tiny step back last season, but the FPI forecasts a season in which it just means more. The top three teams are all from the SEC, led by Texas (No. 1), Georgia (No. 2), and Alabama (No. 3). The Cats host the Longhorns on October 18 and travel to Athens to play the Bulldogs two weeks prior on October 4. Nine SEC teams are in the top 15 and 13 in the top 25.

Even though Louisville beat up Kentucky to end the 2024 season, the Cards are No. 41 in the FPI, seven spots behind the Cats. Toledo, which opens the season at Kroger Field on August 30, is No. 73, and Eastern Michigan is No. 124. Tennessee Tech plays in the FCS, so they weren’t included in the rankings.

1. Texas – Oct. 18, home
2. Georgia – Oct. 4, away
3. Alabama
8. Texas A&M
10. Tennessee – Oct. 25, home
12. LSU
13. Ole Miss – Sep. 6, home
14. Auburn – Nov. 1, away
15. South Carolina – Sep. 27, away
16. Oklahoma
18. Florida – Nov. 8, home
22. Arkansas
23. Missouri
34. Kentucky
52. Mississippi State
56. Vanderbilt – Nov. 22, away

Other Kentucky opponents:

41. Louisville – Nov. 29, away
73. Toledo – Aug. 30, home
124. Eastern Michigan – Sep. 13, home

Kentucky has the 7th hardest schedule in the country

The FPI projects Kentucky’s record to be 5.6-6.4. Of course, that isn’t actually possible, but the fancy computer model gives the Cats a 50.7% chance of getting six wins. Kentucky will have to do it against one of the toughest schedules in the country. The FPI ranks Kentucky’s schedule as the seventh hardest in the FBS. Not surprisingly, all of the teams ranked ahead of Kentucky are also from the SEC: Florida, Vanderbilt, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Mississippi State.

The FPI is higher on Kentucky than another computer model, Bill Connelly’s SP+ rankings. Kentucky is No. 43 in the SP+ rankings, with the Cats’ offense coming in at No. 79, the defense No. 31, and the special teams No. 14. Like the FPI, only two SEC teams rank lower than Kentucky in the SP+: Vanderbilt (No. 55) and Mississippi State (No. 71). The SP+ also ranks Kentucky’s schedule as one of the toughest in the country, No. 8 in the SOS rankings.

Only 88 days until the season opener vs. Toledo.



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Alan Bratton Named Dave Williams Coach of the Year

NORMAN, Okla. – Oklahoma State’s Alan Bratton was honored on Tuesday as the Dave Williams National Coach of the Year it was announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America. The distinction marks the second time he has received the honor. He was named the coach of the year in 2018 and was a finalist […]

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NORMAN, Okla. – Oklahoma State’s Alan Bratton was honored on Tuesday as the Dave Williams National Coach of the Year it was announced by the Golf Coaches Association of America.

The distinction marks the second time he has received the honor. He was named the coach of the year in 2018 and was a finalist for the award in 2016 and again in 2021.

Last week, Bratton led the Cowboys to their 12th national championship at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. 

The victory capped a run of five consecutive wins to end the season and gave OSU seven wins overall.

After closing the fall with a victory at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup, the Cowboys won their spring opener at the Amer Ari Intercollegiate. They would finish second in three of their next four starts and also had a third-place showing as well.

OSU would start its string with a win at the Haskins Award Invitational before winning the Mountaineer Invitational. The Cowboys would bring home their 57th conference title, winning the Big 12 Championship at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa before capturing their NCAA-best 17th regional title at the NCAA Urbana Regional.

Individually, four Cowboy sophomores garnered All-Central Region honors with Ethan Fang, Gaven Lane, Eric Lee and Preston Stout all earning the distinction. Fang and Stout were also named first-team All-Americans as well as Arnold Palmer Cup selections.

Stout finished the year with wins at the Cabo Collegiate and the Big 12 Championship, while sophomore Eric Lee won the Mountaineer Invitational.



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Oklahoma’s softball dynasty ends, plus Deion speaks out on Shedeur

The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox. Good morning! Win a chess match today, and watch for projectiles. While You Were Sleeping: A superstar ends OU’s historic run We must start this morning on the softball diamond, where a […]

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The Pulse Newsletter 📣 | This is The Athletic’s daily sports newsletter. Sign up here to receive The Pulse directly in your inbox.

Good morning! Win a chess match today, and watch for projectiles.

While You Were Sleeping: A superstar ends OU’s historic run

We must start this morning on the softball diamond, where a change of power happened last night with a sacrifice fly. It ended a thrilling game — and one of the most impressive streaks you’ll see in organized sports. 

Quickly: 

  • Texas Tech advanced to the Women’s College World Series finals with a walk-off win over No. 2 seed Oklahoma, which has won the past four national titles. The Sooners were down to their last strike in the seventh inning before hitting a two-run homer to tie the game. Tech won it on Lauren Allred’s sac fly in the bottom half of the frame.

  • A dynasty ends while the sport’s most interesting story continues. Pitcher NiJaree Canady, who led Stanford to two straight WCWS appearances in the last two seasons, left Palo Alto for a $1 million NIL package at Texas Tech this offseason. She nearly shut out the Sooners last night. Canady has a 0.90 ERA and 11 home runs. Talk about a game-changer. 

The Red Raiders start their title series tomorrow against Texas, which beat Tennessee 2-0 yesterday. 

  • In baseball, the regionals wrapped up, and I nearly had to whine for a section about LSU pain before my Tigers eked out a 10-6, win against the tournament’s Cinderella, Little Rock, to advance to the super regionals. Host teams Ole Miss and Southern Miss weren’t so lucky yesterday. See the super regional matchups here. 

We’ll have more on the college tournaments this week. Away we go:

News to Know

Boisson’s big break
Last year was supposed to be a dream for French tennis player Loïs Boisson. A torn ACL the week before the French Open, to which she had earned a wild-card entry, broke her heart. How did she respond? The dream was merely delayed, as Boisson’s stunning upset win over women’s world No. 3 Jessica Pegula yesterday sent Boisson to the quarterfinals at Roland Garros. The crowds should be roaring for Boisson, 22, tomorrow. Also from Paris: Coco Gauff is moving on, while Jack Draper is done.

Intoxicated bettor sends death threats
Houston police identified an overseas man as the culprit behind death threats against Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. and his family after a bad outing last month. The man told authorities he was “frustrated and inebriated” when he posted the threats on social media. “I understand people are very passionate and people love the Astros and love sports,” McCullers said after the game. “But threatening to find my kids and murder them is a little bit tough to deal with.” No charges have been filed yet. More details in our report.

Deion ‘hurt’ by Shedeur reports
In a podcast interview, Colorado coach Deion Sanders said the draft narratives surrounding his son, Buffaloes quarterback Shedeur Sanders, “hurt” and called them “foolish stuff.” More Sanders: “Anybody who knows my son understands he’s a professional. He’s going into a meeting with headphones on? C’mon, man.” See his full comments here.

More news

  • Lions center Frank Ragnow announced his retirement after seven seasons. Read more here.
  • The Hockey Canada trial is almost over after both sides concluded arguments. A decision could come in the next week.
  • Celtics assistant general manager Austin Ainge is joining his father, Danny, in Utah as the Jazz’s president of basketball operations. Despite the name, he’s earned his way up.
  • The Braves hired former manager Fredi González to be their new third-base coach after some disastrous sends. Huh.
  • South Florida is putting former head football coach Jim Leavitt into the school’s Hall of Fame despite his bitter exit. More in our full report.
  • Max Verstappen conceded his F1 clash with George Russell shouldn’t have happened. Read his comments.

📫 Love The Pulse? Check out our other newsletters.

Things You Need to See: A table slam and a huge upset

We have chess drama this week, which is not a typo. We’ve periodically checked in on both Magnus Carlsen, the world’s No. 1 player/jeans supporter, and Gukesh Dommaraju, the sport’s favorite wunderkind. 

The two played each other Sunday, which led to this:

That’s Carlsen realizing he’s just lost to Dommaraju, 19, for the first time in a classical match. There appeared to be plenty of angst in the chess world over Carlsen’s antics, but both players seemed fine afterward, according to Chess.com. As you can see, Carlsen quickly apologized, while Dommaraju told the publication he’s “banged a lot of tables in my career.” 

Read our full story on the incident here. I know chess is a … proper sport, but that was actually electric.

What to Watch

📺 MLB: Guardians at Yankees
7:05 p.m. ET on TBS
We have a real New York-centric glut of national TV games this week (Mets-Dodgers is your other option tonight), but I’m interested in Cleveland, a good team unfortunate to exist in baseball’s deepest division. Good game. 

📺 Soccer: USWNT vs. Jamaica
8 p.m. ET on TNT/Max
This here is a friendly, and seeing Naomi Girma back in an American kit is a friendly sight. Let’s see if Emma Hayes’ squad can build on a nice 3-0 win against China over the weekend. 

📺 WNBA: Mercury at Lynx
8 p.m. ET on ESPN 3
Minnesota is one of two undefeated teams in the W, and by my count — apologies, Liberty — should be the favorite to actually win a title this year. Phoenix has been good, though, at 5-2 and could prove to be a foil. Another good game. 

Get tickets to games like these here.

Pulse Picks

It’s June, which means it’s Pride Month. Steve Buckley talked to the athletes whose coming-out announcements made a huge impact on the sporting world. Worth your time today. 

When Rams coach Sean McVay was at his lowest, Chris Petersen — the former Boise State and Washington coach — cold-called McVay. The olive branch reset McVay’s career. 

Grace Raynor had the unenviable job of picking the best No. 1 college football recruits of the 21st century. She came down to two options. 

Simmering on the NHL backburner: Mitch Marner’s free agency, which will be the story of the summer. James Mirtle ranked all 32 potential landing spots. 

Yes, the State of Hockey is in Florida, just as the hockey gods predicted. Joe Smith and Michael Russo digested how it happened. 

Most-clicked in the newsletter yesterday: Matt Baker’s story on Bill Belichick’s buyout change. Catch up here. 

Most-read on the website yesterday: Our update on Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo choosing Manchester United for his next stop. Talks are ongoing.

Ticketing links in this article are provided by partners of The Athletic. Restrictions may apply. The Athletic maintains full editorial independence. Partners have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.

(Top photo: Sarah Phipps / The Oklahoman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)





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