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Within Nike, the Jordan brand has always come with a significant opportunity—and challenge. The more than $7 billion business is the “blueprint” of what it means to be an athlete-centered brand, says brand president Sarah Mensah (so much so that its origin with Michael Jordan was dramatized in the film Air).
But for some athletes, the Jordan legacy has come with too much pressure. “In the men’s game, we tend to compare every athlete: are they another MJ?” Mensah says. “That can kind of get in your head.”
That’s one reason Mensah is excited about the potential for female athletes and the Jordan brand, as well as its women’s business. “You don’t have that same sort of comparison with female athletes,” Mensah says. WNBA star Napheesa Collier moved from an overall Nike deal to the Jordan brand earlier this year, citing the investment the brand was making in the women’s game as a reason for the switch. Last year, the Jordan brand debuted the Jordan Heir series, which was designed for WNBA stars. It was the first line of product from the brand “specifically for female hoopers,” Mensah says.
Beyond comparisons with a basketball legend, Mensah thinks female athletes inherently understand the DNA of the Jordan brand, which comes down to “greatness” on the court and off. “They’re defining the game in their own terms, and they’re overcoming adversity,” she says. “They’re overcoming perceptions. And there’s something about that. There’s something about charting a new course, going in a new direction, redefining the game.” These themes are among the top reasons female athletes resonate so strongly with consumers, making them the most effective influencers compared to male athletes or general lifestyle influencers.
Nike is now a year into a turnaround under new CEO Elliott Hill, who aims to return Nike to its roots in sports. While Nike was struggling in recent years, the Jordan brand had been an exception—but this year saw sales fall. Hill has said he believes in the Jordan brand as a pillar of Nike’s return to dominance in sportswear.
There’s a new generation of consumers, however, who have never seen Michael Jordan play basketball and associate the brand only with its Jumpman logo. For Mensah, who has been with Nike for more than a decade and took over the Jordan brand in 2023, female athletes are an essential tool to communicate the original message of “greatness” to a new generation.
“That’s always been the distinction for this brand. It’s never just been about sport, it’s never just been about being an athlete,” Mensah says, “but the body of the athlete, the mind of the athlete, the spirit of the athlete, what the athlete does on the court, the greatness that’s displayed there, and the greatness that they bring to the rest of their world.”
Emma Hinchliffe
emma.hinchliffe@fortune.com
The Most Powerful Women Daily newsletter is Fortune’s daily briefing for and about the women leading the business world. Subscribe here.
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PARTING WORDS
“It was jumping out of an airplane for me creatively, emotionally, and it did give me confidence.”
— Jamie Lee Curtis on her role in The Bear and this era of her career
Lincoln – A total of 18 current and former Husker student-athletes across all sports will receive their degrees during University of Nebraska-Lincoln Winter Commencement ceremonies at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Saturday, Dec. 20 at 9 a.m.
Seven members of the Nebraska football team headline the graduating class, led by honorable-mention All-Big Ten defensive backs DeShon Singleton, Ceyair Wright and Malcolm Hartzog Jr. The trio of Blackshirts are joined by Janiran Bonner, Aidan Flege, Tyler Knaak and Dylan Parrott. The seven football players who came to Nebraska from seven different states helped the Big Red to back-to-back bowl games in 2024 and 2025.
AVCA All-Region and All-Big Ten volleyball middle blocker Rebekah Allick will earn her degree as a management major. The Lincoln native helped the Huskers to an unbeaten regular season, a Big Ten championship and a trip to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2025. During her career, she was part of three straight teams that won Big Ten titles and advanced to a pair of NCAA Final Fours, including the 2023 NCAA Championship match.
Baseball’s Riley Silva added a pair of Big Ten titles to the graduating class. The outfielder from Cambridge, Ontario, Canada helped the Huskers to back-to-back Big Ten Tournament championships in 2024 and 2025.
Husker soccer players Lauryn Anglim and Sadie Waite also graduated from Nebraska with Big Ten championships in their careers. Anglim (Omaha, Neb.) and Waite (St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada) were starters on NU’s conference title-winning team that advanced to the 2023 NCAA Elite Eight.
The Nebraska track and field/cross country programs contribute six members to the graduating class, including the most decorated individual in the class – 2025 NCAA indoor high jump champion Tyus Wilson. The senior from Sterling, Kan., is a four-time Big Ten high jump champ and a two-time first-team College Sports Communicators Academic All-American.
Teammate Adria Navajon added a Big Ten individual championship for the Husker men’s track and field in the heptathlon in 2025. Liem Chot, Jacquelyn Abanses, Hannah Godwin and Rebecca Pecora round out the list of track and field graduates.
Current men’s basketball guard Sam Hoiberg will add a degree as a sports media and communication major. Hoiberg, who helped the Huskers capture the College Basketball Crown postseason tournament title a year ago, has started every game during Nebraska’s nation-leading 15-game winning streak. The 11-0 Huskers are ranked No. 13 nationally heading into Sunday night’s home game with North Dakota at Pinnacle Bank Arena.
Overall, the 18 Husker graduates in December came to Nebraska from nine states and three foreign countries.
Nebraska continues to feature one of the highest graduation rates in the nation, while leading the nation with 19 NCAA Impact Awards (formerly known as Today’s Top 10) across all sports. Nebraska also leads the Big Ten and ranks second in NCAA Division I with 373 College Sports Communicators Academic All-Americans across all sports. More than 100 Nebraska student-athletes all time have earned prestigious NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships.
December 2025 Nebraska Student-Athlete Graduates (18)
Jacquelyn Abanses (Track & Field/Cross Country) – Lutz, Florida (Business Administration)
Rebekah Allick (Volleyball) – Lincoln, Nebraska (Management)
Lauryn Anglim (Soccer) – Omaha, Nebraska (Nutrition & Health Sciences)
Janiran Bonner (Football) – Ellenwood, Georgia (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
Liem Chot (Track & Field/Cross Country) – Lincoln, Nebraska (English)
Aidan Flege (Football) – Lincoln, Nebraska (Management)
Hannah Godwin (Track & Field/Cross Country) – Kearney, Nebraska (Biological Sciences)
Malcolm Hartzog Jr. (Football) – Silver Creek, Mississippi (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
Sam Hoiberg (Basketball) – Lincoln, Nebraska (Sports Media & Communication)
Tyler Knaak (Football) – Cottonwood Heights, Utah (Environmental Studies)
Adria Navajon (Track & Field) – Rubi, Barcelona, Spain (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
Dylan Parrott (Football) – Eldridge, Iowa (Management)
Rebecca Pecora (Track & Field) – Pioltello, Milan, Italy (Biochemistry/Biological Sciences)
Riley Silva (Baseball) – Cambridge, Ontario, Canada (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
DeShon Singleton (Football) – Amite, Louisiana (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
Sadie Waite (Soccer) – St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada (Marketing)
Tyus Wilson (Track & Field) – Sterling, Kansas (Elementary Education)
Ceyair Wright (Football) – Los Angeles, California (Child, Youth & Family Studies)
Baylor Bear Insider
GRAPEVINE, Texas – Benjamin Dalton knows that he may never get another chance to coach an athlete as elite as Nathaniel Ezekiel.
“I think a lot of coaches would understand this,” the Baylor assistant coach said of Ezekiel, the 2025 NCAA 400-meter hurdles national champion and Bowerman finalist. “There are some athletes that are once in a lifetime. And not only the talent level, but who is as a young man. He’s a phenomenal human being and an amazing athlete. So, very fortunate, very thankful.”
The fan favorite to win The Bowerman, college track and field’s equivalent of football’s Heisman Trophy, Ezekiel lost out to Arkansas sprinter Jordan Anthony at Thursday’s presentation ceremony at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center.
“It’s pretty amazing to come out here and see them recognize you for all the hard work and effort you put into the whole year,” said Ezekiel, a nine-time All-American who was also the silver medalist in the 400 meters at the NCAA Indoor Championships. “Every one of us was expecting to be called. Him getting it is cool, and if I got it, it was cool, too. But you have to be happy for other people’s success as well.”
The other men’s finalist was sprint hurdler Ja’Kobe Tharp from Auburn, while Alabama’s Doris Lemngole won the female Bowerman award over Michigan hurdler Savannah Sutherland and New Mexico distance runner Pamela Kosgei.
Ezekiel was Baylor’s first-ever Bowerman finalist, an award that was started in 2009 to honor the nation’s top male and female collegiate track and field athlete.
“Even this morning, I was thinking about many greats we’ve had in the past that probably would have won it,” Baylor head coach Michael Ford said, referencing Michael Johnson and Jeremy Wariner, in particular. “For Nate to be our first (finalist), it’s always going to be historic. I’m proud of Nate, he had a great season. To me, this doesn’t diminish what he did in his four years at Baylor.”
In an interview with Bowerman host and ESPN analyst Larra Overton, Nate talked about writing down the same goal each year and praying about winning a national championship. He finished fourth in the 400 hurdles as a freshman, then won bronze medals each of the next two seasons before a breakthrough senior season with a PR time of 47.49 that ranks as the third-fastest in collegiate history.
“My junior year, when I wrote it down again and it didn’t happen, I thought, ‘Man, God doesn’t like me,”’ he said.
Saving his best for last, though, Ezekiel also set the Baylor program record in the indoor 400 with a time of 44.74. He is also the only man in NCAA history to hold multiple top-10 marks in the outdoor 400-meter hurdles with the third, seventh, eighth and ninth-fastest times.
“When I was looking at Baylor and I kind of looked into their track record, I saw what Clyde Hart had actually done with the program, with the likes of Michael Johnson and Jeremy Wariner,” Ezekiel said. “And then also, with Coach Ford with Trayvon Bromell. I just said, ‘Okay, I have to step in, and I have to leave my name on the mark and do some great things.”’
And that he did, winning six Big 12 championships in addition to his success on the national stage. Turning pro this summer, Ezekiel finished fourth in the 400 hurdles at the World Championships in Tokyo, running a Nigerian national-record time of 47.11.
“I want to be an inspiration to little kids in Africa and around the world,” he said. “And when they look at me, they see a symbol of hope, a symbol of excellence. And whatever you wish in your mind, you have the power to chase your goals and actually make it happen.”
Reflecting on his four years as a student-athlete at Baylor, Nate said, “It’s actually a great community, great people and great coaches.”
“They made me feel like it’s home for me and made things easier for me. Honestly, it was a splendid experience, which I loved.”
Sports
Fans Invited to Kentucky Volleyball Watch Party for National Championship Match in Historic Memorial Coliseum – UK Athletics
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Big Blue Nation is invited to cheer on Kentucky Volleyball as the Wildcats compete for the National Championship during a Lexington Watch Party on Sunday, Dec. 21 inside Historic Memorial Coliseum.
Kentucky will play Texas A&M in the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Mo. ABC will broadcast the match, which will be shown live on the HMC videoboard.
Admission is free, and doors will open at 2:30 p.m. ET.
First serve scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.
Concessions will be available throughout the event.
Event Details:
- Who: Kentucky Volleyball fans
- What: National Championship Watch Party
- When: Sunday, Dec. 21 | Doors open 2:30 p.m. ET | Match begins 3:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Historic Memorial Coliseum, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky.
- Admission: Free
Come out and support the Wildcats as they chase a national title!
Dec. 19, 2025, 6:31 a.m. CT
A Nebraska track and field star won a national honor after a record-setting week. Axelina Johansson was named Big Ten Field Athlete of the Week and USTFCCCA National Athlete of the Week.
Johansson set a school record, a Swedish record and an NCAA indoor record in the shot put with a throw of 19.72m (64-8 ½). She set the records while winning the shot put title at the Husker Holiday Open.
She’s had an accomplished career, competing in the 2024 Summer Olympics and finishing tenth overall. The Hok, Sweden native, also won an NCAA title in the shot put in 2023.
Nebraska returns to competition on Friday, Jan. 16 and Saturday, Jan. 17 at the Graduate Classic at the Devaney Center Indoor Track.
Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes and opinions.
Dec. 19, 2025, 8:01 a.m. ET
KANSAS CITY, MO ― The 2025 NCAA volleyball tournament Final Four semifinal matches were intense, with long back-and-forth rallies.
No. 3 seed Texas A&M kept the volleyball world on notice with a dominating sweep of No. 1 Pitt. The Panthers were eliminated in the semifinal of the Final Four for a fifth straight year and have to begin the national championship climb again in 2026. “It always hurts the same,” Pitt’s Olivia Babcock said tearfully afterward.
Texas A&M will play No. 1 seed Kentucky in the first all-SEC national championship title match on Sunday (3:30 p.m., ABC).
The Wildcats beat No. 3 Wisconsin in a five-set heavyweight match that featured numerous rallies and blocks. Kentucky was behind in nearly every major statistical category until a late offensive burst pushed it past Wisconsin.
“Our team has done an incredible job this year of not letting the score dictate their effort, their willingness and just giving it to the other team,” Kentucky head coach Craig Skinner said.
As the two remaining teams continue their push for a national championship, here are the winners and losers from the semifinal round of the Final Four.
Winners
Texas A&M sweeps Pitt to reach first national championship
Texas A&M is officially the most dangerous team in volleyball, if they weren’t already during the NCAA tournament. After upsetting Nebraska in the Elite Eight, the Aggies swept No. 1 seed Pittsburgh. They had a field day against the Panthers with five players recording five kills or more, including outside hitter Kyndal Stowers (16 kills on .433 hitting) and opposite Logan Lednicky (14 kills on .323).
Setter Maddie Waak also deserves a ton of credit for her 48 assists that set up her teammates to attack the weak points in the Panthers’ defense. Texas A&M came in with a game plan and didn’t let up. They withstood multiple runs from Pitt, and by the time they took 14 of the last 20 points in the second set, it was evident the Aggies had nothing but winning on their mind. They used every bit of “grit” (their theme all year) they had.
“It’s a testament to the work we put in in the practice gym and just generally in allof our careers. It’s been a long time coming for us, a lot of work put into this moment,” Lednicky said. “We know we have the right group of girls to go out and win this thing now. So obviously a great match today. I think we got pushed in all the right places. We were down alittle. They’d go on a run; we’d go on a run. We just know how to dig in in the right times.”
AVCA Coach of the Year Jamie Morrison of Texas A&M
On Thursday, ahead of a matchup with No. 1 Pittsburgh, Texas A&M Aggies coach Jamie Morrison won the Division 1 AVCA Coach of the Year award. In just his third season with the program, he led the Aggies to a 27-4 regular-season record and a second-place finish in the SEC. Under his leadership this season, four Texas A&M players (Ifenna Cos-Okpalla, Lednicky, Waak, Stowers) earned AVCA All-American honors. Morrison and the Aggies then swept No. 1 Pitt (29-27, 25-21, 25-20) to punch their ticket to their first national championship appearance. What a coaching masterclass by Morrison. He spread the Panthers out with service pressure, attacked their liberos, and withstood a massive day from Babcock.”I’m proud of our team just because we talk a lot about staying present and enjoying moments,” Morrison said after the win. “I thought in all of those moments we enjoyed every single second of it. Every single time we were pushed ― we talk a lot about responses, and we had a response. That’s all you can ask for in these moments.”
Pitt’s Olivia Babcock against Texas A&M
Olivia Babcock was a wrecking crew against the Texas A&M Aggies. Not only did she lead the Panthers in hitting percentage (.379) after two sets, but she had 14 kills and five blocks. She finished her day with 22 kills on 41 swings with a .463 hitting percentage, plus six blocks and three digs. She did everything (and then some) that Pitt coach Dan Fisher asked.
Eva Hudson’s stellar night against Wisconsin
Kentucky outside hitter Eva Hudson refused to give up, even after the Wildcats dropped the first set and had their backs against the wall in the fourth set. Hudson was spectacular, seemingly scoring at will as she continued stacking one kill after another. She ended her night with 29 kills on .455 hitting, seven digs and two blocks. It was only fitting that the outside hitter scored the final point to send the Wildcats to the national championship. “[Eva] Hudson stepped out of the phone booth with her cape on. We knew where it was going, and it didn’t matter,” Wisconsin head coach Kelly Sheffield said.
Losers
Pitt continues to be the “bridesmaid”
After five straight Final Four appearances, the Pittsburgh Panthers came up short again. Pitt couldn’t string together enough sustained runs to stop Texas A&M. What’s more, at some point during the deciding third set, they stopped being as vocal. (The Aggies were seemingly talking to each other on every point.) Multiple chances by Pitt to fight back and take a set slipped away, and late in the match, it all seemed to come tumbling down.
“I guess the main story from a coaching standpoint is we hit from a high enough percentage. That’s for sure, ” Fisher said. “We were nowhere near as good as we needed to be defensively … I thought we were ready. It’s on me and us as coaches.
Dan Fisher’s mood after Pitt was eliminated
Understandably, a coach would be disappointed after losing one of the biggest games of their career for a fifth straight season. Still, Fisher was pretty dry and a bit sour in Thursday’s post-match press conference. He didn’t give particularly long answers to questions, and one question about how proud he was of his teams for making multiple Final Four appearances didn’t sit very well with him. “I don’t have great perspective on that right now,” Fisher said. “I’m proud of being consistently good, consistently in the hunt, but I’m pretty pissed off right now.”
Wisconsin’s 13-game win streak stopped
Badgers middle blocker Carter Booth and outside hitter Mimi Colyer were fantastic against Kentucky. Before the second set even ended, they both had double-digit kills. As the match continued, they both hit the gas. Booth finished with a career-high 21 kills on .633 hitting and six blocks. Colyer, unsurprisingly, hit a match high 32 kills on .348 hitting. She also had 12 digs. Even with great performances from Booth and Colyer, as well as several other players, the Badgers’ 13-game win streak came to an end in Kansas City. “Just heartbreaking for everyone who worked so hard this year. I don’t regret it at all,” Charlie Fuerbringer said. “Carter [Booth] gave her all.”
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