NIL

NIL is changing college sports; for better or worse?

HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) — It’s been nearly four years since the NCAA enacted a new policy allowing college athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness, and just a few weeks since a federal judge opened the door for college athletic departments to pay athletes directly. Much of the details are still being […]

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1 month ago

May 5, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Much of the details are still being worked out in the courts. Key components like roster limits, scholarship limits and payment pools are still up in the air.

As is a governing body to oversee all of these new rules, since most current regulation is a patchwork of state laws, legal settlements and NCAA rules.

But, we are starting to see the impacts of college athletes getting paid – and what it means for the enterprise as a whole.

Depending on who you ask, the historical shift is: long overdue for athletes who’ve spent thousands of hours grinding for their craft; late to the party in terms of global sports; the official death certificate for amateurism and the “student” side of “student-athlete”; or, an inevitable reality that has to run wild before it gets reined in and regulated.

To the league itself, it’s a positive step.

When a judge granted preliminary approval for a framework for schools to pay athletes, NCAA President Charlie Baker said it would “help bring stability and sustainability to college athletics while delivering increased benefits to student athletes for years to come.”

The push for college athletes to get paid spans decades, with legal challenges and legislative efforts dating back to at least the early 2000s. Which is surprising, considering the NCAA has been a multi-million dollar industry for several decades, and a multi-billion dollar industry for about a decade.

That disparity is due to the idea of “amateurism,” a word many experts and analysts use when they cite concerns about completely commercializing college sports. That idea goes back more than a century, to 1800s England, where sports were only for the wealthy, and the working class didn’t want them to be able to pay their way to victory.

“I don’t want to say [amateurism] is going to die, but it will certainly be the commercial aspects that are going to permeate,” said David Hedlund, the chairman of the Division of Sport Management at St. John’s University. “I think we’re going to see and hear less and less about amateurism, and college sports are going to look more like professional sports, or a training ground for professional sports.”

The idea that sports are for enjoyment and the love of the game rather than money is a noble one. And players can love the game and make money off their talents at the same time.

But many experts say amateurism has long been dead; the NCAA was just, for whatever reason, the last organization behind the International Olympic Committee to let it die. It’s part of an effort to keep pace with the rest of the world. Overseas soccer and basketball players are spotted when they’re 12 to 14 years old, and go pro when they turn 18.

“We’re in a global marketplace,” said Matt Winkler, a professor and program director of sports analytics and management at American University. “We sort of have to keep up with the other nations if we want to strive and have those great moments in sports for our Olympic teams and our World Cup teams and so forth.”

Coaches have long been compensated, and universities have long profited off their sports teams.

“The money has always been there. It’s just a lot more front-facing now, I think, than it’s been in the past,” Hedlund said.

Some sports analysts say it was quite front-facing in this year’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

March Madness was devoid of any significant upsets or Cinderella teams. For the first time in five decades, every team that made it to the Sweet 16 came from a power conference, including all four No. 1 seeds and all but one No. 2 seed.

And, every team that made it to the Final Four was a No. 1 seed.

ESPN analyst Stephen Smith said NIL deals and the now no-limits transfer portal are to blame for why mid-major programs didn’t see much success, and top-tier schools prevailed.

“If there was no NIL, if there was no portal and you have the mid-majors go 0-6 in the second round, please, we ain’t sweating that,” Smith said. “But when you’re able to point to rules that have been implemented that ultimately shows itself to have inflicted upon the game itself, that’s dangerous.

“College basketball as we knew it – which, to me, is all about March Madness – will cease to exist. Because there’s no madness.”

Experts say there is a serious question mark about the current state of how much colleges can pay to entice players, and how many times players can be enticed enough to transfer.

But not all believe it has to be the death of March Madness or competition in college sports. After all, there’s still Division 2 and 3 universities.

Richard Paulsen, a sports economist and professor at the University of Michigan, said it’s hard to gauge the impact of NIL deals and the transfer portal on competition. Because while the top ten or so power schools may be able to offer the most money to the elite players, there’s still a lot of talent out there.

“The top schools have an advantage in getting the A-level talent, but some of the players that might have sat on the bench at a top school previously could be enticed away with NIL money coming from a second tier school,” Paulsen said. “So I think the impact on competitive balance is maybe a little bit less clear.”

Paulsen says, as a professor, he is worried about the impact NIL deals – particularly million-dollar ones – can have on the students themselves, some 18, 19, 20 years old. It raises the question, does a teenager or young adult need this much money?

Shedeur Sanders is 23 years old, and his NIL valuation at the University of Colorado was roughly $6.5 million. Granted, he’s the son of NFL Hall of Famer and head coach for Colorado Deion Sanders.

But, his 2024 stats were top five in completion percentage, passing touchdowns and yards. Several analysts had him as the top prospect in the 2025 NFL draft, but he slid down to the fifth round, shocking much of the sports world.

Various reports place blame on other reasons – maybe he took more sacks than he should have, maybe NFL executives see traits we can’t see, maybe he bombed interviews with the managers, maybe it had to do with his Hall of Famer dad. And he certainly wouldn’t be the first prospect to get picked later than expected and prove all the teams that passed over him wrong.

But, he’s also losing money by going pro. The iced out, custom “Legendary” chain he wore on Draft Day reportedly cost $1 million.

“It is at least worth noting that five years ago, he wouldn’t have had the online presence that he had, and that could have turned off some NFL teams,” Paulsen said. “Without being in the rooms, I don’t know if it did, but that is possible, and it’s not something that would have been possible even five years ago.”

It begs the question, is it even worth going pro for these top-tier college athletes with insane NIL deals?

In the NBA, new data shows it may not be. The league announced last week just 106 players declared early for the 2025 draft. It’s the fewest since 2015. The number typically hovers around 300.

The drop in early entrants could be lingering effects of the extra COVID year.

But, next year, ten schools will pay their rosters somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 million, including several million dollars per top player. That’s far more than the players would make if they were a second-round draft pick in the NBA.

Winkler said the combination of competitive rosters and the scope of these NIL deals has more to do with this drop in early declarations.

“These deals are getting so big that unless you’re going to be a first round draft choice, maybe if you’re going to be kind of a lottery pick or a top 10, 15 pick, it would be better for you to exhaust your eligibility on a major team, because you’re going to make more,” he said.

So, it might be financially advantageous for athletes to wait on the pros. Some announcers were even suggesting Sanders should go back to college if the NFL didn’t deem him ready for the show. (NCAA rules prohibit him from doing so anyway; he declared for the draft and signed with an agent).

But what about the fact that these players, who become millionaires, are still students?

Schools are working to provide resources for these athletes so they can get advice on what to do with their wealth, so that they don’t spend it irresponsibly. Which is not to assume all of them would; it goes without saying this money could greatly benefit an athlete who grew up in poverty and change the trajectory for his/her family.

But Paulsen says he worries about the “student” side of “student-athlete” when we start talking about millions upon millions of dollars and students transferring to whichever school offers them the most. Sometimes credits don’t transfer; sometimes players could feel pressure to fulfill their NIL commitments over their studies, when the stakes are that high.

At a young age, these players are under an unprecedented amount of pressure, from their coach, from their family, from their financial adviser, from social media, from broadcast exposure, from stakeholders, from the tens of millions of people who can now legally bet on them.

“Players should be able to leave bad situations, absolutely, and I certainly support players’ autonomy and chasing financial benefit from their athletic talents,” Paulsen said. “But if we’re going to call them student athletes, we should have some emphasis on the student part of that too. Some of these rules that are helping the athlete are hurting the student.”

One of those rules, he says, is the transfer portal. But in addition to harming the students’ academic careers, experts say this also takes a toll on teams and fans of those teams.

Take Nico Iamaleava for example. The star quarterback abruptly parted ways with Tennessee over an alleged compensation dispute with the school’s collective. He demanded an NIL readjustment to $4 million to keep playing for the Vols, and when they said no, he transferred to UCLA, though it’s unclear if they met his demands.

The exit shocked his teammates in Knoxville, with one of his receivers and defensive backs, Boo Carter, telling reporters, “He left his brothers behind.”

But the new pay-to-play system does also beg the question of school loyalty, not just for the players, but the fans too.

Paulsen says roster continuity, players spending all four years playing for one team, has been an endearing feature of sports like women’s college basketball, when you look at the legacies, for example, Caitlin Clark built at the University of Iowa, or Paige Bueckers at the University of Connecticut.

“I do think there’s definitely some extent to which all this player movement can have negative consequences,” he said.

But, some experts doubt fans of teams need to see the same or similar team year to year.

After all, this past NCAA Men’s March Madness Championship between Florida and Houston – the one ESPN’s Smith said featured no madness at all – scored 18.1 million viewers on CBS. That’s up 22% from last year’s championship, and the biggest audience since 2019.

The Final Four games, featuring all No. 1 seeds, ranked as the most-watched games in eight years.

In other words, so far, so good when it comes to college sports fandom.

One thing broadly agreed upon among experts is that competition must remain intact. The Florida-Houston matchup was a nailbiter.

“The biggest thing that would kill sports is if there is no competitive balance,” Hedlund said. “It is known when you have a really great team being a not-so-great team, if the great team probably will win, people don’t want to watch.”

People still appear to be watching. If they stop, one could assume the NCAA would change its course, or it’d be out of all its money too.

Plus, these experts expect regulation soon – possible measures like transfer restrictions, collectively bargained salary caps, conference realignment to avoid concentration, turning athletic departments into LLCs, putting degree completion into bylaws and evening out the number of roster spots, among other rules.

Experts say: be patient, wait for the legal fights to run their course, and wait for the brightest minds in sports – and Congress – to come up with a solution that pleases the players, teams, coaches, schools and fans.

“This is fundamental to the success of sports, so we just need to figure out what rules, what regulations, what governing bodies, how do we facilitate this?” Hedlund said. “We don’t want to ruin sports. That’s what’s at stake here.”

Winkler says it all comes down to the most “hardcore” stakeholders: fans and alumni. If the SEC and Big 10 just ganged up and created their own Premier League and college sports turned into checkbook sports, it could threaten that school pride.

“This year, we definitely saw cracks in the system,” Winkler said. “If the best athletes just go to the top, are [fans] rooting for an inferior product? Are they still going to have that affinity for their school, their team, their degrees, and people that are doing it? This is really going to test that.

“[Schools] have two key pressure points: keep getting a lot of money from TV so you can fund your athletic department, and keep alumni, fans and donors still feeling as engagedThere’s a lot to be worked out in the next several months and probably the next year to really get a boiler plate idea of what the rules and regulations need to be.”

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Meet 2026 NFL Draft Prospect Drew Nash, QB, Western Colorado

Meet Drew Nash, a top quarterback prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft. Discover his skills, training, and football IQ. Name: Drew Nash Position: Quarterback College: Western Colorado University Height: 6’2 Weight: 220 lbs Twitter: @DrewNash16 Instagram: @nashdrew11 What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2026 NFL Draft? What makes me a top prospect is my deep understanding of […]

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3 minutes ago

June 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Meet Drew Nash, a top quarterback prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft. Discover his skills, training, and football IQ.

Name: Drew Nash
Position: Quarterback
College: Western Colorado University
Height: 6’2
Weight: 220 lbs
Twitter: @DrewNash16
Instagram: @nashdrew11

What makes you a top prospect at your position in the 2026 NFL Draft?

What makes me a top prospect is my deep understanding of the game and my relentless commitment to preparation. I pride myself on being a student of the game while constantly being in the film room studying defenses, learning tendencies, and staying ahead of the evolving game. I can make every throw on the field from sideline to sideline and I’m confident in my ability to move within the pocket, avoid pressure, and deliver accurate passes. I believe my combination of football IQ, physical tools, and leadership makes me one of the most complete quarterbacks in this draft class.

What is one thing NFL teams should know about you?

NFL teams should know that I’m the hardest workers in any room I step into. Whether it’s film study, lifting, or working on the field, I attack each day with purpose. I hold myself to the highest standard because I know that as a quarterback and a leader, others are watching and I’m here to be the best I can be not only for me but for my team. My goal is to set the tone for any team I’m part of with my work ethic, attention to detail, and consistent commitment to excellence.

If you could donate to one cause in the world, what would it be?

If I could donate to one cause, it would be the fight against world hunger. Everyone deserves access to basic nutrition, yet millions go without it daily due to poverty and inequality. What stands out to me is that we already produce enough food; we just need to distribute it better. Supporting this cause can break cycles of poverty, improve health, and give children the strength to grow and learn. It’s about creating opportunity through something as simple and essential as a meal.

Who was your role model?

My dad is my biggest role model. He’s always been the provider, protector, and leader in our family, and I admire the way he handles responsibility with humility and strength. He’s taught me countless life lessons about hard work, character, and integrity. If I can become half the man he is, I’ll know I’ve done something right.

Who is your favorite NFL team?

My favorite NFL team is the Los Angeles Rams. Being from the LA area, I have fallen in love with watching the offense of Sean McVay. His offense is based on a wide zone run scheme and does a lot of play action off those runs. Coach McVay also loves to move guys around and use motion to create stacks and bunches to create leverage on their passing concepts, to get free releases for his receivers, and to get the matchups that will help them be successful on that play.

Who is the most underrated teammate on your team?

The most underrated player on our team is Jaydon Young, a redshirt senior defensive end. He’s one of the smartest defenders I’ve played with and understands our system inside and out. Offenses have a real problem when he’s left one-on-one. He’s disruptive, relentless, and sets the tone for our defense. He doesn’t always get the spotlight, but he’s a big reason for our success.

What is your biggest pet peeve?

My biggest pet peeve is when people settle for being average. I believe everyone should push themselves to be the best version of who they can be. There’s always room to grow, and complacency holds people back from greatness. Whether it’s in football or in life, I want to surround myself with people who challenge themselves every day and work to their full potential and not for any reason other than for themselves.

Who is your favorite teacher ever?

My favorite teacher is Coach McMahill at Western Colorado University. He teaches coaching and sport psychology and also coaches wrestling. He’s helped me grow as both a future coach and an athlete by teaching me how to lead, communicate, and better understand the mental side of sports. His lessons have had a big impact on how I prepare and how I want to lead my own teams one day.

Overcoming adversity is what defines character, what was the hardest moment in your life to overcome?

The hardest moment in my life came during my freshman year of high school. I was in a police explorer academy when my best friend was tragically killed in a car accident. It shook me deeply and made it incredibly difficult to stay focused and finish the program. But I knew he would’ve wanted me to keep going, so I pushed through, finished at the top of my class, and gave a speech at graduation in his honor. That experience taught me about perseverance, purpose, and honoring those you love through action.

If you could have any franchise restaurant in your house, what would it be?

I’d choose The Cheesecake Factory. They’ve got a huge variety of food, so I wouldn’t be stuck eating the same thing every day. Whether I’m looking for something clean or something to indulge in after a big game, they’ve got options.

What is your favorite snack food?

Chocolate chip cookies are my go-to. Simple, classic, and always hits the spot.

What is your degree in?

I earned a bachelor’s degree in Exercise Sport Science with an emphasis in Health and Fitness. I also have a minor in Sociology/Criminal Justice and completed a Coaching Certificate. My academic background helps me understand athletic performance from a scientific and social standpoint, which adds value to how I train, lead, and eventually, how I want to coach.

If you could have dinner with three people, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

If I could have dinner with three people, it would be Nick Saban, Tom Brady, and my great-grandpa. I admire Coach Saban’s leadership, discipline, and ability to build championship cultures. Tom Brady represents everything about elite preparation, competitive drive, and mental toughness. I’d love to pick their brains about how they sustained greatness. Lastly, my great-grandpa passed when I was young. What I remember of him was his unconditional love, but I’ve always been told how hard he worked and about the pride he had in family and values. That dinner would mean a lot—it would bring together greatness, legacy, and lessons for both football and life.

What is your biggest weakness?

I would say my biggest weakness is maybe being too driven on the field, especially when I’m focused on performance and/or solving problems. In life, I tend to put other people first but when it comes to football, I can be very task-driven, and that can make me unintentionally overlook how someone else is feeling. But I have become aware of this and have been working on slowing down, listening better and making sure I’m connecting with my teammates on the field. Leadership isn’t just about pushing people-it’s about understanding them too.

NFL Draft Diamonds was created to assist the underdogs playing the sport. We call them diamonds in the rough. My name is Damond Talbot, I have worked extremely hard to help hundreds of small school players over the past several years, and will continue my mission. We have several contributors on this site, and if they contribute their name and contact will be in the piece above. You can email me at nfldraftdiamonds@gmail.com

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Women’s athletes appeal blockbuster $2.8 billion NIL decision

The landmark antitrust settlement that approved a $2.8 billion payout for ex-NCAA athletes brought out objections from over a dozen groups of former players. Among them are eight women’s players who filed an appeal claiming that the fair share of the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) money was being taken from female athletes. Former soccer, […]

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7 minutes ago

June 15, 2025

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Former soccer, volleyball, and track players opposed the proposed settlement split, which was set to send up to 90% of the funds to men’s basketball and football players alone. The athletes include Vanderbilt’s Kacie Breeding, Virginia’s Kate Johnson, and College of Charleston’s Lexi Drumm, Emma Appleman, Emmie Wannamacher, Riley Hass, Savannah Baron, and Elizabeth Arnold.

The attorneys who filed on the athletes’ behalf in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals spoke out in defense of their clients and their case. The reasoning for the appeal came down to Title IX violations, which bans gender-based discrimination in schools in the U.S. and legally requires them to provide equitable opportunities to all on campuses.

“We support a settlement of the case, just not an inaccurate one that violates federal law,” the statement told ESPN. “The calculation of damages is based on an error to the tune of 1.1 billion dollars. Paying out the money as proposed would be a massive error that would cause irreparable harm to women’s sports.”

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The attorneys argued that the broadcast rights money would’ve had to be split equitably between men’s and women’s sports if it were being paid out during their college careers in the past under Title IX laws, and he maintains that the same standard should be followed now with the retroactive payments.

“Title IX was deliberately ignored,” they continued. “The parties and court acted like it was already addressed when it clearly was not. Complying with Title IX was a problem in this settlement, so they just chose to ignore it. That can’t stand.”

The appeal won’t halt payments to current NCAA athletes, which are set to begin on July 1. However, former players will have to wait for their share of the back pay until the case works its way through the legal system, which could take months, if not years, in the complex appeals court.

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Cowgirl Softball signs talented outfielder Melina Wilkison

STILLWATER – Two-time NFCA All-Region honoree Melina Wilkison has signed with Oklahoma State Softball, head coach Kenny Gajewski announced today. Wilkison will use her final year of eligibility in Stillwater after playing three years at Ohio State (including a medical redshirt her junior season) and one year at Indiana. Across her four seasons at […]

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28 minutes ago

June 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

STILLWATER – Two-time NFCA All-Region honoree Melina Wilkison has signed with Oklahoma State Softball, head coach Kenny Gajewski announced today.

Wilkison will use her final year of eligibility in Stillwater after playing three years at Ohio State (including a medical redshirt her junior season) and one year at Indiana.

Across her four seasons at Ohio State and Indiana, Wilkison boasts a .347 career batting average with a 1.017 OPS in 518 at-bats to go with 134 runs, 36 doubles, 15 triples, 23 home runs and 102 RBI.

“Melina is the type of the player that our fans at OSU are going to love,” Gajewski said. “She brings speed, power and a toughness that will resonate in a big way with Oklahoma State fans. She’s had tremendous success at her previous stops, and we’re excited to welcome her to Oklahoma State.”

In her most recent season as a Hoosier, Wilkison started all 54 games in center field and batted .326 with a .589 slugging percentage in 175 at-bats. The Greensburg, Ind., native totaled 57 hits – including 11 doubles, seven triples and seven home runs – while driving in 41 runs and coming around to score 45 times.

A NFCA All-Region honoree in both of her full seasons at Ohio State, Wilkison enjoyed a breakout sophomore season in 2023 where she also collected first team All-Big Ten honors and was named an Easton/NFCA All-America Scholar-Athlete. She led the Buckeyes in almost every offensive category – batting average (.373), runs scored (50), hits (66), RBI (44), home runs (11), slugging percentage (.718), on-base percentage (.439) and stolen bases (13) – and pieced together a 39-game on-base streak, the second-longest streak since 2013 in Ohio State history.

“I’m beyond excited to be a Cowgirl,” Wilkison said. “I’m so blessed to be able to be a part of this team and compete at the highest level. The Cowgirl name carries weight and tradition, and I can’t wait to get to work in Stillwater.”

As a freshman at Ohio State, Wilkison finished with the third-highest batting average on the team (.342) while tallying 34 runs scored, 11 doubles, four home runs and 13 RBI.

A graduate of Greensburg High School, Wilkison was named the Most Valuable Player of the Eastern Indiana Athletic Conference as a senior after leading the Pirates in nearly every statistical category as a freshman and sophomore.

Wilkison is the second Division I transfer to choose Oklahoma State for the upcoming season, joining utility player Jayden Jones (Virginia Tech).

For season-long coverage of Oklahoma State Softball, visit okstate.com and follow @CowgirlSB on X and @osusoftball on Instagram.

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List of 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year state winners for boys soccer

The 2025 Gatorade Player of the Year state winners for boys’ soccer have already been announced. The Selection Committee chose one player from each state and the District of Columbia based on their athletic excellence, academic achievement, and exemplary character. Out of the state winners, the committee will select one national winner. Here are the […]

Published

29 minutes ago

June 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Alabama – Camren Thompson (Forward, Southside High School)
Alaska – Kai Ciambor (Midfielder, Juneau-Douglas High School)
Arizona – Leo Gutierrez (Forward, Salpointe Catholic High School)
Arkansas – Cade Shamblen (Midfielder, Russellville High School)
California – Jake Tatch (Forward, JSerra Catholic High School)
Colorado – Xander Sevian (Forward/Midfielder, Boulder High School)
Connecticut – Preston Alessio (Midfielder/Forward, Taft School)
Delaware – Tyler Cifa (Midfielder, Salesianum School)
District of Columbia – Ivan Hughes (Midfielder/Forward, Gonzaga College High School)
Florida – Logan Hall (Forward, Pembroke Pines Charter High School)
Georgia – Nolan McLure (Midfielder/Forward, River Ridge High School)
Hawaii – Devin Lee (Midfielder, Iolani School)
Idaho – Rylan McPherson (Forward, Rocky Mountain High School)
Illinois – Jaxon Stokes (Forward, Naperville North High School)
Indiana – Calvin Kurzawa (Forward, Cathedral High School)
Iowa – Alexander Poitan-Hernandez (Keeper, Valley High School)
Kansas – Crew Alvarez (Forward, Blue Valley Southwest High School)
Kentucky – Marco Messerli (Forward, Henry Clay High School)
Louisiana – Charlie Mader (Forward, Teurlings Catholic High School)
Maine – Colby Bennett (Forward, Camden Hills Regional High School)
Maryland – Dan Klink (Midfielder/Forward, Loyola Blakefield School)
Massachusetts – Josh Partal (Midfielder, Milton Academy)
Michigan – Alex Rosin (Forward, Adams High School)
Minnesota – Ronan Selbo (Midfielder, Washburn High School)
Mississippi – Aiden Boudro (Forward, Bay High School)
Missouri – Sam Leonard (Forward, Clayton High School)
Montana – Brady Reed (Forward, Hellgate High School)
Nebraska – Jordan Igwenma (Forward, Creighton Prep)
Nevada – Gavin Flickinger (Forward, Coronado High School)
New Hampshire – Otto Bourne (Midfielder, Lebanon High School)
New Jersey – Gianni Rosario (Defender, St. Benedict’s Preparatory School)
New Mexico – Evan Kraenzel (Forward, Centennial High School)
New York – Francis Bonsu (Forward/Midfielder, Millbrook High School)
North Carolina – Sean O’Laughlin (Forward, Holly Springs High School)
North Dakota – Kamden Kooiman (Midfielder/Forward, Legacy High School)
Ohio – Marty McLaughlin (Midfielder, St. Ignatius High School)
Oklahoma – Miguel Madrigal (Forward/Defender, Norman North High School)
Oregon – Vance Sheffield (Forward, La Salle Catholic College Preparatory)
Pennsylvania – Davin Millisock (Midfielder/Forward, Fleetwood Area High School)
Rhode Island – Brent Karpowich (Forward, Bishop Hendricken High School)
South Carolina – Smith Darby (Forward, J.L. Mann Academy)
South Dakota – Brady Stamp (Midfielder, Lincoln High School)
Tennessee – Terrance Reynolds (Midfielder, Ensworth School)
Texas – Mason Kutch (Midfielder, Walnut Grove High School)
Utah – Lewis Knecht (Forward, American Fork High School)
Vermont – Demunga Alfani (Defender/Forward, Colchester High School)
Virginia – Osi Onwudiwe (Midfielder, Episcopal High School)
Washington – Cooper Conley (Forward, Woodinville High School)
West Virginia – Tresz McLeod (Forward/Midfielder, Wheeling Park High School)
Wisconsin – Jimmy Murphy (Forward, Middleton High School)
Wyoming – Orion Ostheimer (Keeper, Buffalo High School)

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Texas Tech hoops squad bolsters its championship chances with returning experience

Returning production is a key aspect in any team’s national championship aspirations. One-and-done schools like Kentucky dominated college basketball; athletes came to college to fulfill the one-year obligation imposed by the NBA. NIL changed that; athletes can stay in college and make more money than what the professional leagues offer now. With NIL athletes staying […]

Published

42 minutes ago

June 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

anderno — Mar 29, 2025; San Francisco, CA, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Christian Anderson (4) Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

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Former NC State cornerback Shyheim Battle living the dream in the European League of Football :: WRALSportsFan.com

By Pat Welter When you’re living the dream, sometimes you wake up on the other side of the world. “It’s really a dream come true,” Shyheim Battle said. “I’ve always said I wanted to travel the world playing the game of football. I didn’t know it would happen this way.” Battle is a former Rocky […]

Published

45 minutes ago

June 15, 2025

Your Sports Nation

By Pat Welter

When you’re living the dream, sometimes you wake up on the other side of the world.

“It’s really a dream come true,” Shyheim Battle said. “I’ve always said I wanted to travel the world playing the game of football. I didn’t know it would happen this way.”

Battle is a former Rocky Mount High School star and a four year starting cornerback at NC State. He’s currently a cornerback for the Frankfurt Galaxy of the European League of Football (ELF), formerly the NFL Europe, something he never could have imagined this time last year.

“It’s not really what I expected it to be, it was a really a big culture shock,” Battle said. “Coming to Germany I thought I was going to be seeing a lot of castles and old English looking stuff. Frankfurt is a more modernized city, it’s similar to New York.”

Like most American college football players, Battle’s dream is still the NFL. He got a rookie mini camp invite from the New York Jets after the 2024 NFL draft and also tried out for the New Orleans Saints. After those opportunities didn’t work out, Battle continued training and waiting at home in North Carolina.

“It was frustrating to deal with, I had to find ways to keep my mind in a happy place,” Battle said. “I had to stay ready at all times, because I didn’t know when I would get a call.”

When his phone wasn’t ringing, he started making some calls of his own. His chiropractor turned him on to the ELF and after some research of his own, he realized he had a connection.

“My quarterback my freshman year at NC State, Matthew McKay, was already playing for [the Frankfurt Galaxy], I [direct messaged] the team and Matt personally and said ‘are you looking for any corners.’ Matt told me that he got me, and within about 48 hours I received a call.”

Battle was able to receive one of 4 allotted roster spots for American players with Frankfurt.

“It’s different country to country, I’m in Germany so most of our team is German,” Battle described. “When I got to Spain and play against Madrid, their whole team is Spanish.”

He’s six hours ahead of eastern time and sometimes it feels further than that. He’d love to play closer to home next season.

“This is the dream, I’ll do whatever it takes,” Battle said. “But I’d like to get back around my family man, it’s been a long time, we still check in with each other. The time difference is so crazy.”

Humble and hungry, Battle is ready to wake up wherever this dream takes him next.

“It’s not easy, it’s never going to be easy, it’s not going to be how you dreamed of it,” Battle said. “Only one percent gets to experience their dreams as a kid. Stay the course man, don’t give up and stay around positive people.”

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