NIL

Olivia Dunne rolls out new cotton candy

Looking for a new energy drink? Well, there’s a new flavor on the market put together by former LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne. If you’ve been following LSU gymnastics on Instagram this year, you’d know that some of the gymnasts like Haleigh Bryant, Aleah Finnegan, Amari Drayton and Kailin Chio have promoted the brand Accelerator on their […]

Published

4 weeks ago

April 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Looking for a new energy drink? Well, there’s a new flavor on the market put together by former LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne.

If you’ve been following LSU gymnastics on Instagram this year, you’d know that some of the gymnasts like Haleigh Bryant, Aleah Finnegan, Amari Drayton and Kailin Chio have promoted the brand Accelerator on their personal accounts.

This brand deal came from the Livvy Fund, an NIL program launched by Dunne with the goals of inspiring female athletes to pursue new opportunities within college athletics.

Dunne, an acting ambassador and investor of Accelerator since 2023, has been able to use the Livvy Fund to spread some of the NIL success that she’s known to involve teammates Bryant, Finnegan, Drayton, Chio, fifth-year senior Chase Brock and senior KJ Johnson in an NIL deal.

Through her time working with the Accelerator, Dunne released her own cotton candy flavor at the beginning of April and was joined by many of the gymnasts who have collaborated with the brand at LSU’s local Rouses Market on Arlington Creek Center Drive on Monday to celebrate the launch of the new flavor.

“I wouldn’t be where I am without my teammates. They mean the world to me, and it’s really hard to get NIL deals as a female athlete to begin with,” Dunne said. “So to help provide opportunities is something I care very deeply about, so to be able to help them is great, and I just love them so much.”

The larger audience present at the launch of the drink were young girls, and Dunne acknowledged her platform and how she feels in serving as a role model for them.

“I think that something that I stress is that you’re more than just your sport,” Dunne told the Reveille. “This drink goes beyond just gymnastics. This is kind of like a blast off into my future beyond gymnastics. So I’m super excited for this launch.”

Some fans present at the event waited up to four hours for the chance to see Dunne and the rest of the team.

Brandy Amadeo waited with her son, Aiden, a twelve year old male gymnast from 12:30 p.m. until 4:15 p.m. The boy who’s working on following his passion for his sport was more than enthusiastic to meet LSU gymnastics’ team and said it was worth the wait.

“It’s like a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Aiden Amadeo said. “So it’s worth it.”

Mothers who accompanied young girls present at the event also expressed joy over the fact that their daughters can look up to Dunne and her teammates in both the athletic and business industry.
“I think now that they’re getting more opportunities as female athletes, it’s kind of a neat opportunity to see what Livvy is doing for girls growing up,” one mother said. “Not only in female athletics, but the business world, and how we can all kind of help them kind of grow up in the world of business too.”

Finnegan was among the other LSU gymnasts working with Dunne on the launch.

“We are just so proud of her, and just the things that she’s been able to do through LSU and through just like nationwide, she has supported us, you know, inside the gym and outside as well,” Finnegan said. “You’re seeing it through NIL, you’re seeing it with Accelerator and, you know, all of the stuff that she’s done aside, she is a great person, a great friend, and just a great human being.”

NIL

Takeaways from Dabo Swinney, Bill Belichick talk

CLEMSON — Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney welcomed UNC’s Bill Belichick to the “ROY Bus.” Swinney — who has used the phrase to describe the group of teams that had to compete with Alabama for a national championship during its time under coach Nick Saban — explained its origins. When Swinney was a walk-on at […]

Published

42 minutes ago

May 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CLEMSON — Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney welcomed UNC’s Bill Belichick to the “ROY Bus.”

Swinney — who has used the phrase to describe the group of teams that had to compete with Alabama for a national championship during its time under coach Nick Saban — explained its origins. When Swinney was a walk-on at Alabama in 1989, he said there was a locker room and bus for the regular team, and a locker room and bus for the “Rest of Y’all.”

Swinney, entering his 18th season at Clemson, has used this saying throughout his tenure, and told Belichick that the Tigers and the rest of the ACC are still on the “ROY Bus.”

“We’ve been on the ROY bus for 16 years. The ACC, we’re the ROY Bus . . . ” Swinney said to the six-time Super Bowl winning coach. “SEC, Big Ten and the Rest of Y’all.”

This was among numerous topics Swinney and Belichick discussed during an hour-long conversation with ESPN’s Rece Davis on May 12 at the ACC spring meetings in Amelia Island, Florida. The special aired on ACC Network on May 28.

Here are other takeaways from the conversation between these two legendary coaches.

Dabo Swinney on college football landscape, pending House settlement

Swinney described the current name, image and likeness (NIL) landscape for football as “complete chaos” because there is no cap for paying players, and schools can’t handle issues directly.

Still, he is optimistic that the impending House settlement will create “order” and “clarity.” It received preliminary approval from judge Claudia Wilken in October 2024, which would provide $2.8 billion in back damages to athletes who could not profit off their NIL between 2016 and Sept. 15, 2024, and bring revenue sharing to college sports starting July 1, with a projected cap for 2025-26 of $20.5 million per school.

Athletic departments are operating under the assumption that Wilken will approve the agreement.

“Right now, there’s no rhyme or reason for really anything. It’s just whatever feels good in the moment,” Swinney said. “You can do it, and anybody can be involved. So I think we’ll have some clearer rules, more clarity, and I think a little bit more order coming sooner than later, and I think it’s going to be a great time to be in college football.”

Bill Belichick’s favorite Clemson football players he scouted in the NFL

Belichick was the New England Patriots coach from 2000 through 2023 and has scouted plenty of Clemson players. The player who stood out most was defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who played with the Tigers from 2015 to 2018 and was taken by the Miami Dolphins as the 13th pick in the 2019 NFL Draft.

“Character, playing ability, all-around player. He could rush, he could run, he was very good at the point of attack, (and) he was great, personal character, really smart kid . . . ” Belichick said. “We had a hard time blocking him at Miami twice a year, so I didn’t like that.”

Another player Belichick said gave his team fits was wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, who played at Clemson from 2010 to 2012.

“We double-covered Hopkins as much as any player I’ve ever coached,” Belichick said.

Dabo Swinney on Clemson facing ‘New England Patriots’ in 2025

Swinney said Clemson will try to beat the “New England Patriots” this season when it faces North Carolina on Oct. 4 and Boston College on Oct. 11. Belichick is in his inaugural season at UNC and Bill O’Brien enters his second season as the Eagles’ coach. O’Brien was with the Patriots in various capacities from 2007 through 2011, and in 2023.

Yet Swinney said he has a secret weapon for both games in special teams player development/specialists coach Ryan Allen. He was the Patriots’ punter from 2013 through 2018, winning three Super Bowls with them.

“He’s our specialist coach, and my secret sauce in finding a way to beat the Patriots in October,” Swinney said with a laugh. “We brought him in last year, and so we’re going to lean on him heavily to figure out how to defeat y’all.”

Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@gannett.com and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00

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NIL

The ties that bind Texas Tech softball, Ole Miss for WCWS showdown

Texas Tech softball’s Gerry Glasco on Super Regional vs. Florida State Texas Tech softball’s Gerry Glasco on Super Regional vs. Florida State OKLAHOMA CITY — NiJaree Canady knows every nook and cranny of Devon Park by now. The dominant Texas Tech softball pitcher has been to the park plenty of times before, including her two […]

Published

44 minutes ago

May 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

OKLAHOMA CITY — NiJaree Canady knows every nook and cranny of Devon Park by now. The dominant Texas Tech softball pitcher has been to the park plenty of times before, including her two Women’s College World Series appearances while playing for Stanford.

Now, sporting a different shade of red, Canady gets to bestow some of her previous knowledge with a host of teammates who are making their first WCWS appearance.

For the five Louisiana transfers, who followed Gerry Glasco to Lubbock, this is a bit of a redemption arc. Lauren Allred and Mihyia Davis were freshmen on the 2023 Louisiana team that made it to the Super Regionals, only to be foiled by Washington in their pursuit of a trip to Oklahoma City.

“It’s huge being here right now,” Allred said, “because we got really close our freshman year and being able to get over that hump this year was just amazing.”

It shouldn’t come as a huge shock, though, that Allred (.365 batting, nine home runs) and Davis (.386 batting, 85 hits) are getting their time in the WCWS spotlight with one of the players who knocked them out of the 2023 tournament. Alana Johnson (nine home runs, 45 RBIs) was a member of the Washington Huskies team that bested the Ragin’ Cajuns in the Super Regional sweep.

“We actually talk to Alana quite about that Super Regional,” Davis said. “We are on Alana all the time about that Super Regional.”

Johnson’s had plenty of experience facing her current teammates. In addition to facing Louisiana in the Super Regionals two years ago, Johnson saw plenty of Canady while Washington and Stanford were still in the Pac-12 together. The Cardinal also ousted Washington from the 2023 Women’s College World Series.

Canady (30-5 with 0.89 ERA pitching, 11 home runs and 34 RBI batting) is the seasoned veteran of the WCWS, having made it each of her three years in college. The thrills haven’t dissipated in her latest trip to softball’s mecca.

“I feel like every time, just getting to Oklahoma City is really, obviously, really hard,” Canady said. “There’s so many amazing teams who haven’t made it to this point. I just feel grateful to be here again.”

The Red Raiders (50-12) are pitted against an Ole Miss team that has some history with the current group of Texas Tech players. Louisiana knocked Ole Miss out of the tournament least year while hosting the Lafayette Regional. Davis and the Ragin’ Cajuns weren’t able to advance beyond that, though, falling to Baylor in the regional championship.

That Baylor team featured two-way player Aliyah Binford (.328 batting, 12 home runs, 11-3 pitching record) who is now one of Ole Miss’ top players. Allred didn’t get a chance to help her team against the Bears, having missed almost all of the 2024 season after tearing her oblique. That aspect, more than anything, sticks with the redshirt sophomore, who leads the team with 53 RBIs on the year.

“The goal last year was to host a regional,” Allred said, “and it was tough watching my team do something so well without me. Coming to this year, I knew I wanted to try to make a mark and have an impact on the team, and being able to do that and work throughout the season, I think that’s the biggest reward to the injury itself.”

Ole Miss (42-19) also features former Louisiana player Taylor Roman, who, like Allred, sat out the 2024 season but was teammates with a bulk of Texas Tech’s starting lineup.

There are familiarities across the board for the Red Raiders and Rebels, who are each making their first WCWS appearance in program history.

“They’re playing with a lot of fire,” Tech head coach Gerry Glasco said, “and they’re playing with a lot of freedom and they’re playing with a lot of emotion. They’re a dangerous ball club right now.”

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NIL

Eleven Softball Players Selected to Academic All-MAC Team

Story Links CLEVELAND — The Western Michigan softball team landed 11 student-athletes on the 2025 Softball Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team, released by the MAC on Wednesday. To qualify for the Academic All-MAC Team, a student-athlete must hav+e at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of […]

Published

59 minutes ago

May 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

CLEVELAND — The Western Michigan softball team landed 11 student-athletes on the 2025 Softball Academic All-Mid-American Conference Team, released by the MAC on Wednesday.

To qualify for the Academic All-MAC Team, a student-athlete must hav+e at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests scheduled or completed in the particular sport. First-year students and ANY transfer in their first year of residence are not eligible for the award. Outstanding academic and athletic accomplishments for the current season only are considered. Coaches are not limited to a certain number of submissions and may nominate all qualifying student-athletes from their own team.

The 11 selections by the Broncos were the fourth-most in the conference.

Western Michigan 2025 Academic All-MAC Team Selections

Riley Chumbley, Junior, Biomedical Sciences, 3.36

Riley Dittmar, Senior, Biomedical Sciences, 3.90

Casey Fazzini, Sophomore, Physical/Health Education, 3.39

Jensen Gremillion, Senior, Healthcare Services & Sciences, 3.98

Payton Kelly, Senior, English Literature, 3.59

Megan Malartsik, Sophomore, Sport Management, 4.0

Kailey O’Connor, Senior, Exercise Science, 3.84

Haleigh Smith, Junior, Exercise Science, 3.70

Caitlin Tighe, Sophomore, Accountancy, 3.93

Taylor Wolfe, Senior, Criminal Justice, 4.00

Emily Yacapraro, Junior, Marketing, 4.00

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NIL

Saint Francis basketball programs gutted by transfer portal

LORETTO — In the wake of Saint Francis University’s drop to Division III athletics beginning in the summer of 2026, many of the college’s athletes have inserted their names into the NCAA Transfer Portal in hopes of finding new colleges to continue their careers. The announcement stating Saint Francis was leaving the Northeast Conference and […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Saint Francis basketball programs gutted by transfer portal

The announcement stating Saint Francis was leaving the Northeast Conference and joining the Presidents’ Athletic Conference was made March 25, exactly one week after the Red Flash men’s basketball team fell in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament.

As a result, the Red Flash, after winning the NEC Championship for the first time since 1991, is losing 11 players to the transfer portal.

The Red Flash women, which earned the No. 4 seed and a home game in the NEC Tournament, will see 13 of 15 rostered players depart, including 12 in the portal.

Eight members of the men’s squad are transferring to Division I schools, headlined by NEC Rookie of the Year Juan Cranford Jr.’s commitment to Eastern Kentucky. Fellow starting guards Daemar Kelly and Riley Parker are headed to Northern Illinois and the University of Portland, respectively.

Valentino Pinedo, who served as the team’s starting center, committed to the University of North Carolina-Greensboro. Miles Webb (Delaware State), Jeremy Clayville (New Jersey Institute of Technology), Wisler Sanon (Coppin State) and Aaron Talbert (Gardner-Webb) have also signed with new teams.

Blaze Angelotti, Bobby Rosenberger III and Aidan Harris are headed to Division II teams. Angelotti, a Bald Eagle High School graduate, will play for Lock Haven. Harris is now on the roster at Flagler College in St. Augustine, Florida, and Rosenberger is with NOVA Southeastern University, the defending Division II national champions, in Fort Lauderdale.

A pair of scholarship players, Chris Moncrief and Gestin Liberis, put their names in the portal but later chose to stay at Saint Francis. They, along with freshman Victor Payne, are the only scholarship players remaining from last season’s team.

For the Saint Francis women, 11 of the 12 players in the portal have committed to Division I colleges.

Starters Yanessa Boyd (East Tennessee State), Ineivi Plata (Florida Atlantic), Marissa Shelton (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi) and Julianna Gibson (Central Arkansas) are signed.

Kameryn Dorsey, who was injured in the Red Flash’s home opener and missed the remainder of the season, is headed to Binghamton. Freshman Airah Lavy will join Plata in the sunshine state after committing to Florida Gulf Coast. Natalie Johnson committed to Akron.

Forwards Jade Campbell (Niagara), Alary Bell (Longwood), Destini Ward (Georgia Southern) and Fanta Daffe (Kennesaw State) have also committed to new programs.

The lone uncommitted Red Flash player in the portal as of Wednesday is Marina Artero, a sophomore forward from Fontanilles, Spain.

With the departure of senior Harris Robinson, guard Gemma Walker, a Peters Township graduate, and forward Giselle Eke are the two returning players on the roster.

NIL

Rival coach rips Texas Tech’s defense, ponders what improvements TTU’s NIL can bring

Look, I think it’s more than fair to acknowledge that the Texas Tech Red Raiders haven’t exactly been known for any sort of alleged defensive prowess. That’s something that goes back *checks notes* more than a few years. And it’s something that TTU really needs to address to take a step forward as a program. […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Now, as the Red Raiders are rolling into 2025 with an improved roster (shoutout to the impressive success that Texas Tech’s NIL efforts have had) and a brand new defensive coordinator (shoutout to the Houston Cougars for getting Shiel Wood into the Big 12), there’s a chance that things improve.

Or, well, there’s certainly a hope that the defensive efforts can be something other than frustrating to keep up with.

It looks like at least one Big 12 coach (anonymously) is wondering about this same sort of thing. How much can the Red Raiders improve their defense from the disaster that it was last season with the getting Wood to the coaching staff and the various new additions on the roster?

Big 12 coach anonymously wonders about the improvements that Texas Tech can make on defense under Shiel Wood’s guidance

When talking to Athlon Sports (in an anonymous fashion) one Big 12 coach took the opportunity to ponder and wonder about the impact that Wood and Texas Tech’s NIL efforts can have on the lackluster defense from a season ago.

“Can [Shiel] Wood come in and flip the defense with all that free-agency spending? They were a classic Texas Tech defense last year, and that’s not a compliment,” one coach anonymously told Athlon Sports.

And folks, that one anonymous Big 12 coach is without a doubt absolutely, positively correct. We’re talking about a defense that yielded 34.85 points per game to opposing teams. This is a defense that let Abilene Christian put up 51 points on them.

Opposing quarterbacks threw for OVER 4000 yards against Texas Tech last season. This was a flat out bad defense. And maybe Wood and the new roster additions via NIL can help change that a bit. I don’t know. We’ll see soon enough.

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Eight Elite College Basketball Recruits Make Major NIL Announcement

In this modern era of college athletics, players are possibly as valuable as they have ever been. It isn’t uncommon for a player, whether it be basketball or football, to be offered a massive payday before playing a single minute of action at their respective college. On Wednesday, Adidas took to social media to announce […]

Published

2 hours ago

May 29, 2025

Your Sports Nation

In this modern era of college athletics, players are possibly as valuable as they have ever been.

It isn’t uncommon for a player, whether it be basketball or football, to be offered a massive payday before playing a single minute of action at their respective college. On Wednesday, Adidas took to social media to announce its 2025 high school NIL class, featuring recruits from both the 2026 and 2027 recruiting classes.

The class consists of eight of the top recruits in the country, headlined by 2026 five-star shooting guard Caleb Holt, who ranks as the No. 5 player in the country according to On3’s Industry Rankings on the men’s side, and Kate Harping, who ranks as the No. 2 player in the class of 2026.

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