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.

ALSO IN THE HEADLINES

OpenAI is under a ‘code red.’ It’s an alert of “rough vibes” and economic headwinds as the AI leader faces increased competition, especially in enterprise. CEO of Applications Fidji Simo says it’s a “signal to the company that we want to marshal resources in one particular area, and that’s a way to really define priorities and define things that can be deprioritized.” Fortune

Weight Watchers revamps for the GLP-1 era. Under CEO Tara Comonte, the company’s name is two words again. Its new pitch is that anyone can get you a GLP-1, but Weight Watchers can keep you healthy and on track through the process. Fast Company

Inside Nancy Mace’s run for governor. In South Carolina, the congresswoman is running as an outsider, reportedly with few allies among her fellow GOP politicians. WSJ

Two Palantir alums just raised $20 million for patent filing. My colleague Jeremy Kahn has the exclusive on Ankar, a London-based startup that’s trying to use AI to transform the process for filing and managing patents. It’s founded by Tamar Gomez and Wiem Gharbi. Fortune

ON MY RADAR

How Dairy Boy’s rise signals the next phase of creator-led brands Ad Age

Watching Liberation with a women’s movement pioneer, my mom NYT

Motherhood is filled with agony. So are the best films of the year Marie Claire

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

Each week during the academic year, the NE10 honors Athletes of the Week for all of its 24 sponsored sports while they are in season. Faces in the Crowd shines a spotlight on outstanding on-field performances that didn’t earn Athlete of the Week recognition, while also highlighting academic or community efforts from student-athletes across the league. 

Faces in the Crowd is presented by Athletic Solutions, a national leader in NIL fan engagement and e-commerce technology, collaborating with colleges and universities to bring NIL Locker Rooms to life. Their platform simplifies NIL opportunities, providing student-athletes with the tools and exposure needed to thrive in the evolving landscape of college athletics.

Below are this week’s NE10 Faces in the Crowd.
 

Gigi Morossi
School: Pace
Sport: Swimming and Diving

Pace bounced back after a head-to-head loss to SCSU to improve to 7-1 on the season.  Morossi was an anchor in a four-point win over Bridgeport, winning the 50 Back, 100 Back and 200 Freestyle.  The sophomore was also part of Pace’s 200 Medley Relay that came in second.

Jack Hall
School: SNHU
Sport: Basketball

Hall started his second game of the season at Saint Anselm Saturday and opened 7-for-7 from three.  The AIC transfer finished with a season-best 23 points in the Penmen victory.

Jordan Wheaton
School: SNHU
Sport: Track and Field

Wheaton matched her career and program best with an 8.86 in the 60M Hurdles at the Dartmouth December Invite on Saturday.  The time is best for third in the conference this indoor season.  She also set a new PR in the 60 M Dash.   Wheaton had established the mark the prior week at BU and also has the NE10’s top High Jump this season (1.58m), set on 12/5.

Makenzie Shean
School: Franklin Pierce
Sport: Soccer

An All-American, Shean delivered the game-winning-goal in the NCAA Division II semifinals over Washburn last week, pushing the Ravens to the national championship game.  It was Shean’s ninth goal of the season and came with only seven and a half minutes remaining in regulation.

Raymond Baka
School: Franklin Pierce
Sport: Basketball

Baka had a day last week at Saint Michael’s, going off for 28 points and 14 rebounds.  It was his third double-double in nine games this season. The points total ranks fifth-best by an NE10 player this season and the rebound mark sits fourth.  Baka is averaging 14 points and 9.6 rebounds as a first-year player in the NE10 following a transfer from Vermont State.
 

This Year’s Faces in the Crowd

Week 1
Anna Daggatt, Saint Michael’s Volleyball
Dillon Labonte, SNHU Cross Country
Jakkai Stith, AIC Football
Jenni Huttunen, Franklin Pierce Soccer
Taylor Leckey, SCSU Field Hockley

Week 2
Alice Bender, Pace Volleyball
Annie Lorenz, Bentley Field Hockey
Isabel Hughes and Claudia Keith, SNHU Soccer
Reese Swanson, Franklin Pierce Field Hockey
Connor Dietz, AIC Football
Jay Kastantin, Assumption Football

Week 3
Dillon Labonte, SNHU Cross Country
Elizjah Lewis, Pace Football
Grace Almeida, Saint Michael’s Volleyball
Lana Mignon De Wet, Adelphi Field Hockey
Paola Soto Burgos, AIC Volleyball

Week 4
Brennah Abilheira-Cargill, Assumption Volleyball
Kerrigan Habing, SCSU Volleyball
Drew Forkner, St. Anselm Football
Khais Milligan, Pace Soccer
Madeline Krepelka, Bentley Field Hockey

Week 5
Connor Dietz, AIC Football
Elizjah Lewis, Pace Football
Kaylise McClure, Mercy Field Hockey
Mackenzie Casey, Adelphi Volleyball
Michael Guarnieri, St. Anselm Football

Week 6
Andrew Surprenant, SNHU Men’s Golf
Isaiah Osgood, Bentley Football
Jessica Evans, Mercy Field Hockey
Sarah Henault, SCSU Volleyball
Sydney DeRoche, Bentley Women’s Soccer

Week 7
Faith Kosiba, Saint Michael’s Soccer
Grace Presswood, Assumption Volleyball
John Giller, SCSU Football
McKenzie Carey, Bentley Field Hockey
Ruby Harrington, Saint Michael’s Field Hockey

Week 8
Avery Frommer, Bentley Field Hockey
Billy Gould, Assumption Football
Kerrigan Habing, SCSU Volleyball
Maya Fisher, SCSU Cross Country
Quinlyn Moll, AIC Field Hockey

Week 9
Isaiah Decias, Bentley Football
Jessica Evans, Mercy Field Hockey
Milagros Zanatelli, AIC Field Hockey
Ryan Rosario, Franklin Pierce Women’s Soccer
Sasha Luzina, Bentley Volleyball

Week 10
Connor Smith, Assumption Football
Jake Croce, Saint Anselm Football
Madeline Chaapel, Adelphi Volleyball
Maggie Burchill, Saint Anselm Field Hockey
Riley Mastowski, Franklin Pierce Hockey

Week 11
Ana Carolina Westerich, Adelphi Volleyball
Dayshawn Walton, Adelphi Basketball
Taeya and Rheyna Steinauer, SCSU Basketball
Will Gomes, Franklin Pierce Football
Amelia Hohos, Saint Anselm Soccer

Week 12
Brady Gaudet, Franklin Pierce Soccer
Dom Santiago, Assumption Football
Elena Coban, Bentley Volleyball
Olivia Crespo, Franklin Pierce Soccer
Will Davies, Saint Anselm Basketball

Week 13
Alvaro Garcia, SNHU Soccer
Jojo Wallace, SNHU Basketball
Kaitlin McDonough, Saint Anselm Basketball
Margaret Montplaisir, Saint Michael’s Basketball
Zee McCown, Assumption Basketball

Week 14
Hope Fox, SCSU Basketball
Jodiann Ebanks, AIC Track and Field
Ruzgar Christina Boyle, AIC Basketball
Skyla Lang, Benltey Swimming
Valerii Pidhoretskyy, Adelphi Swimming

Week 15
Gigi Morossi, Pace Swimming and Diving
Jack Hall, SNHU Basketball
Jordan Wheaton, SNHU Track & Field
Makenzie Shean, Franklin Pierce Soccer
Raymond Baka, Franklin Pierce Basketball
 

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete.

Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.

Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season.  The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast-10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.

SAN DIEGO — DePaul middle blocker Meghan Scholz has been added to the San Diego volleyball roster as a transfer, head coach Jennifer Petrie announced on Tuesday evening.

“We’re tremendously excited to welcome Meghan to the Torero family,” said Petrie. “She is a highly talented, well-rounded player whose defensive prowess and competitive spirit will help elevate the standard in our gym.”

A native of Tomahawk, Wisconsin, Scholz will join the Toreros as a senior for the 2026 season. She spent the first three years (2023-2025) of her college career in Chicago, where she appeared in 84 matches and 284 sets for the Blue Devils while totaling 391 kills, 208 blocks (24 solo), 94 digs, 11 service aces, and nine assists.

Scholz appeared in 24 of DePaul’s 28 matches in 2025, recording 97 kills and 38 blocks. She recorded multiple blocks on 11 different occasions last season and had multiple kills in 19 of her 23 appearances.

She led the Blue Devils in blocks in both her freshman (2023) and sophomore (2024) seasons. Her debut college campaign saw her earn two BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors.

The Toreros will begin their pursuit of a second consecutive West Coast Conference title and NCAA Tournament berth in August 2026.
 

The 2020 and 2021 NCAA volleyball national champions will be vying for a spot in the 2025 national championship match.

Wisconsin, of course, won the 2021 national championship. Kentucky won the 2020 national championship. Neither team has been playing on the final day of the season since then.

That will change as the Badgers and Wildcats face off in the NCAA regional semifinals on Thursday, Dec. 18, at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The match will start roughly 30 minutes after the conclusion of the Pittsburgh-Texas A&M match, which will start at 5:30 p.m.

The 2025 NCAA women’s volleyball championship will take place from Dec. 18-21 at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. The 2025 Final Four teams heading to Kansas City are Pittsburgh (Pitt), Kentucky, Texas A&M and Wisconsin.

In 2024, Penn State defeated Louisville to take home the title. Stanford has the most all-time championships, with nine titles to its name. Penn State takes second place with eight, followed by Nebraska in third with five.

Check out the all-time winners list for the NCAA women’s volleyball championship below:

2024: Penn State

2023: Texas

2022: Texas

2021: Wisconsin

2020: Kentucky

2019: Stanford

2018: Stanford

2017: Nebraska

2016: Stanford

2015: Nebraska

2014: Penn State

2013: Penn State

2012: Texas

2011: UCLA

2010: Penn State

2009: Penn State

2008: Penn State

2007: Penn State

2006: Nebraska

2005: Washington

2004: Stanford

2003: Southern California

2002: Southern California

2001: Stanford

2000: Nebraska

1999: Penn State

1998: Long Beach State

1997: Stanford

1996: Stanford

1995: Nebraska

1994: Stanford

1993: Long Beach State

1992: Stanford

1991: UCLA

1990: UCLA

1989: Long Beach State

1988: Texas

1987: Hawai’i

1986: Pacific

1985: Pacific

1984: UCLA

1983: Hawai’i

1982: Hawai’i

1981: Southern California

For more NCAA updates, check out the ESPN hub page with scores, rankings and more.

NEW ORLEANS – Forty-one Sun Belt Conference volleyball student-athletes have been selected to the 2025 Academic All-District® NCAA Division I Volleyball Team.
 
Four Sun Belt volleyball student-athletes selected as Academic All-District® honorees were selected for advancement to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members including App State’s Maya Winterhoff, Georgia Southern’s Kirsten Barrett and Reagan Barth and Texas State’s Samantha Wunsch.
 
Student-athletes selected as CSC Academic All-America® finalists are denoted with an asterisk and will advance to the national ballot to be voted on by CSC members. First-, second- and third-team Academic All-America® honorees will be announced January 13, 2026.
 
The 2025 Academic All-District® Volleyball teams, selected by College Sports Communicators, recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their combined performances on the court and in the classroom. The CSC Academic All-America® program separately recognizes volleyball honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA.
 
To qualify for All-District honors, a student-athlete must maintain a grade-point average of 3.50 or better and compete in at least 90% of the institution’s matches OR have started at least 66% of the institution’s matches.
 
For more information about CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.
 
Sun Belt Academic All-District Selections
Lou Johnson, App State
Maya Winterhoff*, App State
Addison Heidemann, App State
Ali Morris, App State
Erin Madigan, Arkansas State
Devyn Lewis, Arkansas State
Libby Gee-Weiler, Arkansas State
Addison Collum, Arkansas State
Anna Rita, Coastal Carolina
Emma Van Elslande, Coastal Carolina
Ava Wallis, Coastal Carolina
Emily Fowler, Coastal Carolina
Mayte Camacho, Georgia Southern
Lydia Seymour, Georgia Southern
Kirsten Barrett*, Georgia Southern
Reagan Barth*, Georgia Southern
Shanelle Martinez, Georgia State
Nazli Guvener, Georgia State
Alessia Cappai, Georgia State
Grace Wenrich, James Madison
Rebecca Watkins, James Madison
Julia McNeley, James Madison
Elli Barry, Marshall
Marae Reilly, Marshall
Bella Thompson, Marshall
Kate Kilpatrick, Old Dominion
Adrienne Peji, Old Dominion
Elisa Maggi, Old Dominion
Lillie Johnson, Southern Miss
Morgen Durgens, Southern Miss
Brynn Botkin, Southern Miss
Sadie McAda, Southern Miss
Brooke Bentke, Texas State
Anna Blaine, Texas State
Bailey Hanner, Texas State
Samantha Wunsch*, Texas State
Amiah Butler, Troy
Kalina Calvillo, Troy
Jaci Mesa, Troy
Olivia Kwiatkowski, Troy
Morgan Howard, ULM