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College sports enter new era with NIL deals

The NCAA has allowed student-athletes since 2021 to profit from their name, image and likeness Listen to this article Kris Trinidad embraces NIL to build his brand Virginia legislation allows schools to pay student-athletes Coaches and programs adapt to shifting power dynamics in recruiting Risks include financial literacy gaps and potential exploitation Kris Trinidad plays […]

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College sports enter new era with NIL deals

The NCAA has allowed student-athletes since 2021 to profit from their name, image and likeness

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Kris Trinidad embraces NIL to build his brand

  • Virginia legislation allows schools to pay student-athletes

  • Coaches and programs adapt to shifting power dynamics in recruiting

  • Risks include financial literacy gaps and potential exploitation


  • Kris Trinidad plays defensive end for Old Dominion University’s Division I football team, where he tallied 45 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season. He’s also building his brand thanks to new laws that allow student-athletes to ink endorsement deals and get paid by the university. 

    “I feel like it’s teaching young guys how to be more marketable and prepare themselves for their future,” Trinidad said. “It gives them opportunities to express their true selves amongst the community.”

    Trinidad is part of the growing class of student-athletes learning to navigate a new world of college athletics, one where player statistics, social media presence and sponsorship potential increasingly all matter.

    The Rise Of The Student Athlete

    The NCAA has allowed student-athletes since 2021 to profit from their name, image and likeness, or NIL.

    The financial shift and its impact on college athletics have been dramatic. College athletes went from landing full scholarships and cost-of-living expenses to earning an estimated $917 million in the first year NIL was enacted, according to Icon Source.

    New legislation passed by the Virginia General Assembly in 2024 opened the door for direct payments from schools. This shift is backed by a legal settlement known as House v. NCAA, which will permit schools to allocate up to $20 million annually to pay student-athletes. The case argued current and even former student-athletes deserve a share of revenue generated by television deals, licensing agreements and even ticket sales. It recently received conditional approval from NCAA governance.

    Virginia Commonwealth University student-athletes will be paid starting in the 2025-2026 year, with a projected $5 million allocation, according to CBS6 News.

    The biggest NIL sums still go to marquee names. First-year Duke University power forward Cooper Flagg has a NIL valuation upwards of $4 million, according to 1075thefan sports website.

    However, players of all levels can find opportunities to build their brands. Former Virginia State University running back Rayquan Smith was dubbed “King of NIL” for receiving over 100 NIL deals, according to The Virginia Statesman.

    Not Amateurism Anymore

    Brendan Dwyer, a professor at VCU‘s Center for Sports Leadership, said the current NIL model is not sustainable for athletic departments.

    “If all of a sudden they have to go out and find money through NIL to pay their athletes, it comes at the expense of so many other things for the athletic department,” Dwyer said.

    Dwyer thinks schools are heading toward a professional model, and schools and athletes should be prepared. Although it might create other issues, employing athletes could be a solution.

    “If you take a step back and you watch what happens on a Saturday afternoon in Tuscaloosa, or you watch what happened last weekend in San Antonio, those aren’t amateur sports,” Dwyer said. “That’s professionalism.”

    Community, Coaches And The Changing Game 

    Coaches are also evolving in the new era. VCU recently hired Phil Martelli Jr. as its new head coach and he is stepping into the role at a transformative time. Martelli led Bryant University to an America East title and its first NCAA Tournament appearance in March.

    “The revenue sharing and NIL stuff is not going anywhere,” Martelli said. “It’s become a major part of this, the transfer portals become a major part of this for everybody, at every level.”

    Coaches need resources to get recruits to campus. In most cases, athletes are straightforward in what they’re looking for when choosing which universities to attend, according to Martelli.

    “Then it’s up to us to decide what that looks like,” Martelli said. “Is that worth it, is it not worth it?”

    Martelli would like to see multi-year contracts for athletes. There would then be the potential for contract buyouts within college athletics, similar to professional sports. Both parties can negotiate the terms and lengths of the contracts and try to find common ground.

     “But right now if you go year-to-year, to have guys jumping in the transfer portal and shopping around, it isn’t the best for everybody,” Martelli said.

    Former University of Virginia basketball coach Tony Bennett unexpectedly retired in 2024, saying he no longer felt he was the best coach to lead the program in the current environment. Bennett, who guided UVA to the 2019 national championship, said NIL deals, along with the transfer portal, added aspects to his role that weren’t his strong suit.

    “The game and college athletics is not in a healthy spot,” Bennett said. “There needs to be change.”

    Community is also impacted when student-athletes solely chase money, said Ben Rekosh, a VCU broadcast student and sports commentator. College sports used to be built on the idea of student-athletes being integral to their community, by contributing to what makes their school and fan base great for three to four years.

    “I think that it affects the community a lot,” Rekosh said. “There’s not really players anymore that people are able to to tie their hearts with and have a true connection with, if people are just jumping back and forth.”

    Still, he understands why it could be in the best interest of athletes at their peak to move around and maximize their earnings.

    One perk of NIL deals is that more college athletes are staying in school instead of going professional immediately, according to ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas. They can continue their education while earning money, versus being pushed toward the pay-to-play professional route.

    Top college players may earn more money and playing time than they would as rookies in the pros and would have more experience going into a draft.

    New Kind Of Athlete

    Athletes are not just a part of the university’s brand; they also have a personal business.

    Thai Wilson, sports editor for VCU student-run paper The Commonwealth Times, said fans increasingly follow players, not just programs.

    “You remember 2008 Florida winning the March Madness, or VCU making it to the Final Four in 2011,” Wilson said. “People don’t remember the players that played on those teams who made it all the way unless they were either a big name who made it to the NBA, or if it’s just a very memorable run.”

    Wilson pointed to top recruit AJ Dybansta’s decision to go to Brigham Young University, a school not known for getting high-profile signees, as an example of how NIL has shifted power dynamics. That can benefit students and give them a better chance to negotiate for what they want.

    “NIL’s landscape is starting to kind of open up doors for other programs to get higher recruits if they’re willing to pay for it,” Wilson said.

    Risks And Reality

    Student-athletes now have new opportunities, but with that comes risk. Especially for younger athletes still learning financial basics. For Trinidad, the key is using NIL to build the athlete experience.

    Although NIL deals may give students more power, Trinidad worries some could be exploited by marketing agents or contract deals that they don’t understand.

    “Because these guys—they’ll come in, make you a contract and take 10% of your money,” Trinidad said. “It’s something young guys need to be wary of.”

    He thinks high school athletics should start talking about brand building, contract literacy and financial management.

    NIL deals are relatively new, with many rules in place around compensation and endorsement. Virginia law restricts athletes from NIL compensation from alcohol, cannabis and sports gambling, to name a few.

    If the laws change and there is less regulation, there is a chance athletes could be taken advantage of.

    “It gives you power, but power in the wrong hands can be bad,” Trinidad said.

    Capital News Service is a program of Virginia Commonwealth University’s Robertson School of Media and Culture. 

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    Cowboys Climb Into Top Five At NCAA Championship

    Round 3 Results CARLSBAD, Calif. – For the second day in a row, Oklahoma State’s men’s golf team improved its position at the NCAA Championship after posting a 291 on Sunday during the third round of action at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa. The second-ranked Cowboys moved into a tie for fifth place at 869, […]

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    Round 3 Results

    CARLSBAD, Calif. –

    For the second day in a row, Oklahoma State’s men’s golf team improved its position at the NCAA Championship after posting a 291 on Sunday during the third round of action at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa.

    The second-ranked Cowboys moved into a tie for fifth place at 869, 5-over par, with Texas at the par-72, 7,480-yard layout. The 30-team field will be trimmed in half tomorrow after a playoff to determine the No. 15 spot between Georgia Tech and Wake Forest.

    Tomorrow’s fourth round will determine the eight teams who will advance to the tournament’s match play bracket to determine the national champion.

    Preston Stout continued his impressive play, moving into a tie for fourth place at 211 after signing his second consecutive 70. The sophomore went out in 2-under 34 with birdies at the first and seventh. He would move to 3-under on the day with a birdie at the 10th. After posting bogeys at the 12th and 14th before closing with his fourth birdie at the 18th.

    Stout will begin play tomorrow six shots off the pace of leader Michael La Sasso of Ole Miss. He will be looking to become the program’s 10th individual NCAA champion.

    Sophomore Ethan Fang posted his low round of the event, a 71, to move up eight spots into a tie for 36th place at 219.

    Sophomores Gaven Lane and Eric Lee finished the day tied for 46th place at 220 after posting rounds of 76 and 75, respectively.

    Freshman Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson carded his third consecutive 75 to stand at 225 and tied for 86th place.

    The Cowboys will begin their final round tomorrow at 1:25 p.m. (CST) and will be grouped with Florida and Texas.

    Live scoring for the event is available at scoreboard.clippd.com and Golf Channel coverage will begin at 5 p.m. (CST).

     



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    Big Update in Recruitment of Memphis Transfer PJ Haggerty

    On Wednesday morning, news broke that one Big 12 basketball team was picking up steam for Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty. That team was the Kansas State Wildcats, who reportedly “have the momentum” to land Haggerty, according to Hitmen Hoops. One team expected to push the Wildcats for the commitment was Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers, however, […]

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    Big Update in Recruitment of Memphis Transfer PJ Haggerty

    On Wednesday morning, news broke that one Big 12 basketball team was picking up steam for Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty.

    That team was the Kansas State Wildcats, who reportedly “have the momentum” to land Haggerty, according to Hitmen Hoops.

    One team expected to push the Wildcats for the commitment was Bruce Pearl and the Auburn Tigers, however, a recent report from NYTSports’ Adam Zagoria disputed that fact.

     

    “Auburn is not involved for Memphis transfer PJ Haggerty and has not spoken to him, per source,” Zagoria wrote. “K-State remains the main school involved, although sources confirm he’s seeking around $4M in NIL. A return to Memphis would ‘only’ get him about $1.2M, per sources.”

    “Kansas State has emerged as a serious contender for Memphis transfer and All-American G PJ Haggerty,” the report states. “NC State had been the favorites for the top transfer, but sources add that Kansas State has the momentum. Source adds that Kansas State’s financial offer is expected to be stronger than NC State’s.”

    Last season with the Tigers, Haggerty earned All-American honors by averaging 21.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. He connected on 47.6% of shots from the field, 36.4% from three-point range, and 81.8% from the free throw line.

    After back-to-back years averaging 20+ points, Haggerty understandably has earned some serious praise. He currently checks in as 247Sports‘ second-ranked player in the transfer portal, only behind Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg.

    The transfer portal officially opened on Monday, March 24, 2025. According to NCAA data, 1,296 FBS basketball players entered the transfer portal in the 2023-24 school year, with 864 (66.7%) undergraduates and 432 (33.3%) graduate transfers. Of the entrants, 70% reported that they enrolled in another school, 6% withdrew their names from the portal, and 23% are still active, transferred to a non-NCAA school, or left their sport.

    The Heartland College Sports Twitter account is an excellent resource for keeping up with the latest Big 12 news and announcements. Make sure to check out our HCS member forum to connect with other Big 12 sports fans.

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    Cowboys Climb Into Top Five At NCAA Championship

    Round 3 Results CARLSBAD, Calif. – For the second day in a row, Oklahoma State’s men’s golf team improved its position at the NCAA Championship after posting a 291 on Sunday during the third round of action at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa. The second-ranked Cowboys moved into a tie for fifth place at 869, […]

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    Cowboys Climb Into Top Five At NCAA Championship

    Round 3 Results

    CARLSBAD, Calif. –

    For the second day in a row, Oklahoma State’s men’s golf team improved its position at the NCAA Championship after posting a 291 on Sunday during the third round of action at Omni La Costa Resort and Spa.

    The second-ranked Cowboys moved into a tie for fifth place at 869, 5-over par, with Texas at the par-72, 7,480-yard layout. The 30-team field will be trimmed in half tomorrow after a playoff to determine the No. 15 spot between Georgia Tech and Wake Forest.

    Tomorrow’s fourth round will determine the eight teams who will advance to the tournament’s match play bracket to determine the national champion.

    Preston Stout continued his impressive play, moving into a tie for fourth place at 211 after signing his second consecutive 70. The sophomore went out in 2-under 34 with birdies at the first and seventh. He would move to 3-under on the day with a birdie at the 10th. After posting bogeys at the 12th and 14th before closing with his fourth birdie at the 18th.

    Stout will begin play tomorrow six shots off the pace of leader Michael La Sasso of Ole Miss. He will be looking to become the program’s 10th individual NCAA champion.

    Sophomore Ethan Fang posted his low round of the event, a 71, to move up eight spots into a tie for 36th place at 219.

    Sophomores Gaven Lane and Eric Lee finished the day tied for 46th place at 220 after posting rounds of 76 and 75, respectively.

    Freshman Filip Fahlberg-Johnsson carded his third consecutive 75 to stand at 225 and tied for 86th place.

    The Cowboys will begin their final round tomorrow at 1:25 p.m. (CST) and will be grouped with Florida and Texas.

    Live scoring for the event is available at scoreboard.clippd.com and Golf Channel coverage will begin at 5 p.m. (CST).

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    Let This Bull Run

    Why NCAA should stand for “Not Competent At All” after latest ruling on Louisville basketball center Aly Khalifa. The NCAA is a funny organization – and when I say “funny,” I don’t mean ‘Richard-Pryor-in-a-red-suit-talking-about-prison-on-the-Sunset-Strip-in-1982’ funny. No…the NCAA is more ‘how-a-landfill-next-to-a-dog-food-factory-on-a-sweltering-hot-day-following-a-flash-flood-smells’ funny. In a decision that is as bewildering as it is aggravating, the governing body […]

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    Let This Bull Run

    Why NCAA should stand for “Not Competent At All” after latest ruling on Louisville basketball center Aly Khalifa.

    The NCAA is a funny organization – and when I say “funny,” I don’t mean ‘Richard-Pryor-in-a-red-suit-talking-about-prison-on-the-Sunset-Strip-in-1982’ funny. No…the NCAA is more ‘how-a-landfill-next-to-a-dog-food-factory-on-a-sweltering-hot-day-following-a-flash-flood-smells’ funny. In a decision that is as bewildering as it is aggravating, the governing body of college athletics denied Louisville basketball center Aly Khalifa’s request for an extension of his five-year eligibility clock.

    That request would have allowed him to participate in a fourth season following last year’s knee surgery that caused him to miss the season. The consensus reaction of the basketball world has been shock, disappointment, and outrage: this ruling, like a hot, wet city dump, stinks.

    Khalifa, a 6-foot-11 center from Egypt who cut his basketball teeth in Australia, had high hopes for next season. His skill set, as a five who can shoot the three and distribute the ball with the prowess of an elite guard, is as dynamic as it is rare amongst men of his stature. Add to that the fact the Khalifa shed fifty pounds following his surgery rehabilitation and practiced in Kelsey’s system for most of 2025, and the stage was effectively set for Aly to shine as a potential starter for Louisville basketball.

    The NCAA, however, seeks to close the curtains, turn off the spot lights, and get the Cards’ resurgent center off center stage. 

    And nobody understands why.  

    Also relevant: Kasean Pryor makes Card a National Title contender

    Aly Khalifa’s path to Pat Kelsey

    Khalifa’s college career looks like this in a nutshell: Aly spent his freshman year in Charlotte, where he redshirted in 2020-21. He was then an on-court 49er for two seasons before transferring to BYU, where he played under current Kentucky coach Mark Pope in 2023-24.

    He became a Cardinal last year, but never clocked a minute of game-time basketball in Louisville basketball red. Instead, he spent the first half of the season mending his knee, then practiced with the team from January, on.

    Do the math: that’s three years of on-court college basketball. What’s more, Khalifa’s redshirt season in Charlotte fell during the COVID year, which has been universally written off do to the viral shutdown’s effect on the season, for everyone…

    Everyone, except Aly Khalifa, it would seem. 

    Smells like bullshirt to me

    In an era during which the landscape of college basketball has been completely transformed by NIL money and the transfer portal, players are seeking more extra eligibility than ever. More often than not, they get it.

    Gonzaga’s Khalif Battle, for example, played games in six different college seasons. Battle was granted extensions because two of his seasons were cut short by injury, limiting him to seven and eleven games in them, respectively. How on Earth is it then possible that the NCAA permitted Battle’s extensions because multiple seasons were ended because of injury, while simultaneously denying Khalifa, whose seasons-in-question never even began?

    Listen/Watch Starting Five02 Podcast of the State of Louisville Network Now!

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    If the NCAA is trying to assert its authority in an age when it is becoming increasingly irrelevant, the hypocrisy of this decision only further subverts the Association’s validity. 

    Grabbing the bull by the horns

    Khalifa has lawyered up, filing an appeal that most experts believe he should win. At face value, there is no reason he is not cleared to play. His first season at Charlotte shouldn’t be an issue for multiple reasons: either because he redshirted, or because of COVID. If that were the issue, then the NCAA should have notified Louisville basketball long before May of 2025.

    I’m aware that the redshirt paperwork doesn’t get filed until after the season, which is problematic in and of itself: take a look at the current predicament. Still, the fact that Khalifa was even allowed to transfer to Louisville should have made his eligibility waiver a mere formality: his intention to have knee surgery and sit out was made public and tied to his decision to transfer from BYU.

    As the transfer was approved, the waiver should have followed, because without the waiver the transfer had no point.

    Khalifa is a big deal… no bull

    With or without Khalifa, Pat Kelsey has the Cards loaded for next season. But if Khalifa’s appeal is denied, things could get dicey for the Cards in the front court should anything else go awry.

    James Scott became an Ole Miss Rebel after Kasean Pryor declared his intent to return and the Cards acquired Sananda Fru: playing time could have been scarce for Scott with Pryor, Fru, and Khalifa all competing (I would have liked to see him stay and elevate his game, though). But Pryor is coming off a torn ACL, and Fru is a freshman from Germany, untested by American elite talent.

    Without Scott and Khalifa, the roster that seemed to be bursting at the seams with talent when the portal opened now seems an injury away from having some quite literally sizable gaps to fill.

    Kentucky coach Mark Pope said that Khalifa changed the very way he thought about the game of basketball. Any player that can profoundly impact the way an experienced college player and coach like Pope sees the game would surely have a remarkable impact within it.

    And Pope coached a Khalifa who was fifty pounds heavier and struggling with a bad knee.

    Let this bull run

    Hopefully, the NCAA will do the right thing. But in denying Aly’s waiver, and allowing things to enter the legal realm, the NCAA risks setting a new precedent for player eligibility if they lose in court. Make no mistake: if Aly wins, and my God I pray he does, there will be further lawsuits for more eligibility by other players. It is this precedent, and nothing at all to do with the validity of Aly’s claim, that makes me wary of the upcoming face-off in court. But I, quite honestly, couldn’t care less about the implications for the NCAA, or NCAA in general, for that matter. I just want to see what Aly can do in the eye of the storm of talent Kelsey has coming to Louisville.

    All things considered, Aly Khalifa is a Master’s level immigrant student who has played in only three seasons of college basketball. If anybody deserves another year of eligibility, it’s Aly. Unfortunately, though, if Louisville’s past dealings with the NCAA have showed us anything, it’s that it rarely gives the Cards what they deserve, and takes things from them that they have earned.

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    Tennessee Boss Says Only One Way to Solve Revenue Sharing, NIL Issues

    The House vs. NCAA settlement is still waiting approval, but one prominent athletic director isn’t sure it’s going to solve the problem. U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken hasn’t ruled on the final proposed settlement. That could come next week. If approved, it will usher in a new world of college athletics, that includes revenue-sharing with […]

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    The House vs. NCAA settlement is still waiting approval, but one prominent athletic director isn’t sure it’s going to solve the problem.

    U.S. District Judge Claudia Wilken hasn’t ruled on the final proposed settlement. That could come next week. If approved, it will usher in a new world of college athletics, that includes revenue-sharing with student athletes.

    It’s a geography Tennessee athletic director Danny White has been navigating for nearly a year. As part of a power conference, he and the Vols are required to opt into the settlement and pay as much as $20.5 million in direct money to student-athletes in 2025-26 — if House is approved.

    It’s a lot to keep up with, White admits — but he believes there is a real solution that few seem prepared to discuss.

    In a one-on-one conversation with Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman, White talked about the issues of dealing with all of this on a day-to-day basis.

    “My job is to lead the University of Tennessee, but we also have a national issue in college sports that’s a real problem,” White said. “I talk about like the Tennessee hat versus the college sports hat and I’ve been probably wearing the Tennessee hat a lot more recently, thinking about just what’s our opportunity to be competitively excellent in this new world. But it’s a real issue and we could go on and on about what we need.”

    Tennessee has already implemented new initiatives to increase revenue, even though it is in the SEC and it receives television payouts that are among the biggest in college sports. The House settlement may usher in a new age of college sports, but White isn’t sure it’s going to solve every issue.

    In fact, he believes there is only one way to truly solve the issues that came up in the House settlement and level the playing field for everyone.

    “I’ll say it. We’ve got a camera on this, but I don’t really care at this point,” he said. “Collective bargaining is the only issue, the only solution, it’s the only way we’re going to get there.”

    The House settlement does not include collective bargaining.

    The House v. NCAA settlement is a combination of three different cases brought by current and former student-athletes. It will allow for $2.75 billion in damages will be paid to thousands of college athletes over 10 years as part of restitution for their inability to access things like Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities.

    The new settlement won’t prohibit student-athletes from leveraging NIL, but they will need to report any deals valued at $600 or more.

    The settlement also caps scholarships and, in some cases, expands them for certain sports through roster limits.



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    Texas Tech softball to face Ole Miss in Women’s College World Series first

    Texas Tech softball’s Gerry Glasco on Super Regional vs. Florida State Texas Tech softball’s Gerry Glasco on Super Regional vs. Florida State The field for the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set and the Texas Tech softball team knows its path toward the national championship. Texas Tech was the first team to punch its […]

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    The field for the 2025 Women’s College World Series is set and the Texas Tech softball team knows its path toward the national championship.

    Texas Tech was the first team to punch its ticket to Oklahoma City, sweeping Florida State in the Super Regionals with the series concluding Friday afternoon. The Red Raiders had to wait for the final possible game of the weekend to find out their opponent.

    Ole Miss will be first up for Texas Tech with the game set for 6 p.m. Thursday in a game that will air on ESPN2. The Rebels pulled off another upset by taking out 4th-seeded Arkansas 7-4 in the third game of their Super Regional series.

    Like Texas Tech, Ole Miss will be making its first appearance in the WCWS in program history. Those two are joined by Big Ten teams Oregon and UCLA on their side of the bracket. The Ducks and Bruins will square off in the final game of opening day.

    Other teams to make the WCWS field include Oklahoma, Texas, Florida and Tennessee.



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