NIL
Texas Tech Red Raiders – Official Athletics Website
OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma – In their first trip to the Women’s College World Series, the Red Raiders are trying to be the first since 2000 to win the championship series in their debut. To accomplish that feat, Texas Tech will have to take down No. 6 Texas – National Runner-Ups in two of the last three […]
Tech is coming off a thrilling win over the four-time defending champion Oklahoma Sooners on Monday night. The Red Raiders took a 2-0 lead into the seventh inning before the Sooners did what they do best and hit a two-run homer to tie the game, shock the crowd and grab the momentum. However, 2025 NFCA Pitcher of the Year NiJaree Canady was able to quickly shake it off and strike out the next batter to get Tech’s bats back up with a chance to walk it off.
After a quick out, Mihyia Davis got her first hit of the WCWS and Hailey Toney followed that up with a double off the wall to put runners at second and third. Lauren Allred dug in and hit a ball to shallow right field that gave the speedy Davis just enough time to tag from third and slide into home safely and secure the win.
Series Notes:
The Red Raiders, historically, are 11-60 against the Longhorns all time. The two faced off early this year, with Texas taking both games including a 2-1 win in the ninth inning.
These series numbers don’t mean too much, as evidence by Tech defeating the Sooners on Monday – a team they were 7-68 against all time.
Storylines:
- NiJaree Canady is still at the top of her game. She boasts a 0.90 ERA and is 33-5 on the season. Her ERA is first in the nation and her wins are second most in program history for a season. Canady was named the Big 12 Pitcher of the Year and a Player of the Year Top 3 Finalist. The junior has also swung the bat more this season, leading the team with 11 home runs.
- Senior outfielder Demi Elder has been a huge lift for the Red Raider offense since returning to the starting lineup. Since Elder’s return the team is 30-3 and she has reached base safely in 28 of those 33 games.
- Mihyia Davis continues to prove why she’s one of the top outfielders in the country. The junior speedster has also been hitting for power lately, totaling a career-high five home runs to go along with 10 doubles and 6 triples while swiping 26 bases. Davis is not only a good bat, but a highlight reel in the outfield as she was Big 12 All-First Team and Big 12 All-Defensive Team.
- The left side of Gerry Glasco‘s infield is played by freshmen. Hailey Toney has started every game at shortstop this season – the only freshman from a power four school to do so – while Bailey Lindemuth has played 63 of her 65 games at third base (the other two coming in the circle). Both were named to the All-Big 12 Freshman Team.
- Alana Johnson has been one of the most impactful players for the Red Raiders and is a key to their success. She is batting .400 in postseason play with 19 total bases and 7 RBI. Tech is 13-0 this season when she has a multi-hit game.
- Hailey Toney has been sensational for the Red Raiders this postseason. She leads the team with a .440 batting average on 11 hits during the NCAA Tournament and has been just as good in the WCWS, hitting .333 with a team-high 7 total bases including hitting the first home run at the WCWS in program history.
- Lauren Allred has risen to the occasion in the WCWS, leading the team with a .429 batting average and drove in the winning run on a sac-fly in the bottom of the 7th to knock off four-time defending champions Oklahoma.
- Texas Tech has played in 55.0 innings this NCAA Tournament, and have yet to trail in a single one. Tech has made it a habitat to score first as of late and are 47-5 when they do so this season.
Programming: (designated home team listed second)
- Wednesday: Texas Tech v. Texas – 7 p.m. CT on ESPN/ESPN+
- Thursday: Texas v. Texas Tech – 7 p.m. CT on ESPN/ESPN+
- Friday: Texas Tech v. Texas – 7 p.m. CT on ESPN/ESPN+ (if necessary)
NIL
Kentucky is the Second-Best Basketball Program in the KenPom Era
It’s rare that a day goes by during the college basketball season that I’m not taking a look at KenPom.com. There are other websites that offer advanced analytical tools, but KenPom is the OG. Now that the season has ended, we can actually look to see where the Kentucky Wildcats rank in the KenPom era. […]
It’s rare that a day goes by during the college basketball season that I’m not taking a look at KenPom.com. There are other websites that offer advanced analytical tools, but KenPom is the OG. Now that the season has ended, we can actually look to see where the Kentucky Wildcats rank in the KenPom era.
The website was created in 1997. Kentucky is the second-ranked basketball program over the final 29 seasons. The Wildcats have an aggregate rating of 40.83, one point ahead of Kansas, and almost three points behind Duke. North Carolina and Arizona round out the top five.
Florida made a big move up the rankings after cutting down the nets in Houston this year, up five spots to No. 6 overall. They have three National Titles in the KenPom era and two more Final Four appearances.
Three teams in the Top 60 made double-digit moves thanks to impressive 2025 campaigns. After reaching the Final Four, Auburn moved up 13 spots to No. 29 and Houston climbed 11 spots to No. 35. Ole Miss’ Sweet 16 run was good for an 11-spot jump to No. 59.
Kentucky Basketball in the KenPom Era
Kentucky has finished ranked in the Top 25 in 23 of the 29 seasons. The Wildcats’ worst finish was No. 78 during Billy Gillispie’s 2008 campaign. The median final ranking for the Wildcats is No. 10.
We’ve seen Kentucky reach the Final Four six times since 1997, bringing home two National Championship banners during that time. John Calipari snapped a 13-year Final Four drought during his second season in Lexington. It’s been a decade since we saw the Wildcats play in the final weekend of the college basketball season.
Fourteen years elapsed between Tubby Smith’s National Championship and John Calipari’s. This season will mark 14 years since Anthony Davis was the Most Outstanding Player at the Final Four in New Orleans.
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NIL
This is who College Football 26 has as the best FSU football player on the roster…
COLLEGE FOOTBALL 26 VIDEO GAME EA Sports dropped the College Football 25 video game last summer after the long hiatus of playing NCAA Football 14 for a long period of time due to the Ed O’Bannon court case. However, now that an NIL structure is in place, EA Sports was able to allow the popular […]
COLLEGE FOOTBALL 26 VIDEO GAME
EA Sports dropped the College Football 25 video game last summer after the long hiatus of playing NCAA Football 14 for a long period of time due to the Ed O’Bannon court case. However, now that an NIL structure is in place, EA Sports was able to allow the popular series to return.
Overall, the video game was a success last year. However, it was unbearable for me to play last season due to Florida State’s record on the field. I have been a long-time season ticket holder, and I won’t lie, seeing the Seminoles in Doak Campbell Stadium in 2024 was a humbling experience.
The updated progression of the roster had 76 overall true freshman quarterback Luke Kromenhoek listed as the starter as we reached the bitter end. However, Kromenhoek transferred to Mississippi State, and the Seminoles have added new coaches as well as new players via the transfer portal and recruiting ranks.
WHO IS THE BEST PLAYER ON THE SEMINOLES’ ROSTER?
I had to think about this for a while. I tried to come up with who will be the best player on the Seminoles’ roster in the video game. This is a team that has so many new pieces. While it was much needed, these players on the current roster have not made much of a difference in the Garnet and Gold.
There have been individuals who have been able to play the Beta version of the video game, so social media has been the source of leaks that have surfaced. Plus, EA Sports dropped a deep dive that featured a Thomas Castellanos interception and highlighting that smaller quarterbacks could have negative consequences in the game.
According to this website that highlights the pre-release ratings of the Florida State Seminoles, it has former Houston cornerback transfer Jeremiah Wilson as the best player on the roster (90 overall). This makes sense, considering that he had 24 tackles (four for loss), four passes defensed, and four interceptions during the 2024 season with the Cougars.
Wilson is going to be coached by defensive back coach Patrick Surtain Sr., who was one of the best cornerbacks in man-to-man coverage, according to Pro Football Focus.
For reference, the best offensive player on the website for the Seminoles was former Ole Miss offensive tackle transfer Micah Pettus (89 overall). This should be a fun Florida State football team to play, considering that they have dual-threat quarterback Thomas Castellanos to use.
NIL
NCAA rule changes extends college basketball regular season
The NCAA Division I Council passed legislation on Wednesday that allows teams to schedule 32 regular-season games, ending a seven-year period where 31 games was the maximum. The current NCAA rules say “teams can schedule 28 games with an additional three-game, multiple-team event, for a maximum of 31 games. Teams can also choose to schedule […]
The NCAA Division I Council passed legislation on Wednesday that allows teams to schedule 32 regular-season games, ending a seven-year period where 31 games was the maximum.
The current NCAA rules say “teams can schedule 28 games with an additional three-game, multiple-team event, for a maximum of 31 games. Teams can also choose to schedule 29 games with a two-game, multiple-team event, again with a 31-game maximum. Or teams can schedule 29 regular-season games without a multiple-team event included.”
Under the new rules, which begin during the 2026-27 season, teams can schedule up to 32 games without the restriction of having a multi-team event involved. There is no penalty for scheduling fewer than 32 games if a team wishes to do so.
The oversight committee said the NCAA is trying to simplify as many rules as possible and allow for greater scheduling flexibility. Conference expansion impacting non-conference scheduling was also a factor.
There is an expectation that larger MTEs, especially those funded by NIL contracts, will move to three- or four-game formats. Extra home games also have financial implications.
“Multiple high-major coaches told CBS Sports in recent months that they are actively pursuing and hoping to play a nonconference game in the midst of the conference season moving forward, finding benefits in advance of postseason play in March,” CBS Sports senior writer Matt Norlander said.
Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news, notes and opinions.
NIL
Paige Bueckers Opens Up About Ground-Breaking NIL Journey
Before NIL was more than just a three-letter acronym, Paige Bueckers was already a household name in college hoops. She wasn’t just making headlines for her court vision or clutch buckets, she was setting the stage for what a modern college athlete could become. But when the NIL era officially kicked off on July 1, […]
Before NIL was more than just a three-letter acronym, Paige Bueckers was already a household name in college hoops. She wasn’t just making headlines for her court vision or clutch buckets, she was setting the stage for what a modern college athlete could become. But when the NIL era officially kicked off on July 1, 2021, even she admits: she had no idea what was coming.
“When I tell you I had no idea what this was going to look like, I had literally no idea,” Bueckers told Deja Kelly on NILOSOPHY. “It was a complete blank canvas.”
Despite winning National Player of the Year as a freshman at UConn and drawing millions of views on social media, Bueckers started her NIL journey just like every other college athlete, learning everything from scratch.
“You don’t even think about making money in college because it was never a thing,” she said.
Fast-forward four years: Bueckers leaves UConn as a national champion, a three-time first-team All-American, and the No. 1 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. She also exits the college stage with a staggering $1.5 million On3 NIL Valuation, the second-highest among all women’s basketball players.
But it wasn’t just about money for Bueckers. From day one, she prioritized building her brand around values, values she made sure to set alongside her inner circle.
“I set my values straight with my team. I just want to work with people who have the right intentions, have the right values of giving back and not making everything about me,” she said.
That mindset led her to deals that benefited not just herself, but her teammates too, something rare in the competitive world of NIL. From creative shoots to collaborations with Fortnite, Bueckers made sure to bring others along for the ride.
“The stuff I’ve been able to do with my teammates and for my teammates, that’s been the coolest stuff to me,” she shared.
Even with stylists, cameras, and endorsement deals, Bueckers never lost sight of the bigger picture: using her platform for good.
“Once I started to learn about it … it became, for me, how can I give back and use this platform on social media to do something good with it?”
In an era where athletes are becoming brands, Bueckers is showing that it’s possible to be both marketable and meaningful. Her journey through NIL wasn’t just about capitalizing, it was about creating impact.
NIL
The LSU Baseball Transfer Portal Commitments
Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers are in the midst of a critical stretch this offseason with the program looking to reload the roster in Baton Rouge. After capturing a National Championship in 2025, all focus has shifted towards attacking the NCAA Transfer Portal in order to stack talent moving forward. Johnson and Co. have […]
Jay Johnson and the LSU Tigers are in the midst of a critical stretch this offseason with the program looking to reload the roster in Baton Rouge.
After capturing a National Championship in 2025, all focus has shifted towards attacking the NCAA Transfer Portal in order to stack talent moving forward.
Johnson and Co. have seen success in the free agent market as of late with the program once again looking to make a splash this offseason.
Once the LSU Tigers took down Coastal Carolina in the College World Series Finals, Johnson immediately put his recruiting cap on begin hitting the portal.
“If you’re a pitcher out there, high school or portal, you should want to come here largely because of Nate [Yeskie]. And Jamie Tutko is our director of pitching development and analytics and has helped take this thing to a new level as well,” Johnson said after winning the title.
“We’ve got it all. We’ve got it all. I’m just really proud of that side of the ball. We had to elevate the talent in the LSU baseball program on the mound when I took over here. And we have and we’ve executed it at developing them as good as I ever would have dreamed of or imagined.”
Now, two left-handed pitchers have revealed commitments to the purple and gold along with a pair of infielders to round out the current pledges.
Who’s in for Johnson and Co. as it stands?
No. 1: Brayden Simpson – Infielder
The LSU Tigers landed a commitment from High Point infielder Brayden Simpson in June as the program’s first portal addition.
Simpson, one of the top prospects in the NCAA Transfer Portal, is coming off of a career season in North Carolina.
The coveted infielder primarily handled business as a third baseman for High Point this past season where he shined for his Panthers squad.
Simpson had a dominant two-year stretch at High Point with his 2025 campaign quickly putting his name on the map.
He rounded out the season batting .389 with 22 home runs, 77 RBI and a .477 on base percentage this past season.
Simpson is a Swiss Army Knife in the infield and has also spent some time at first base in 2024 and second base in 2023.
In 2024, the talented High Point transfer started in all 62 games where he batted .300 with 12 home runs and 45 RBI. He started in 58 games this year.
No. 2: Seth Dardar – Infielder
Dardar, a Louisiana native, began his career at Columbia prior to making the move to join the Kansas State Wildcats.
During the 2025 season, he logged a team best .326 batting average with 18 doubles and a 1.065 OPS.
A consistent hitter, Dardar tallied 60 hits, 45 RBI and 13 home runs last season for his Wildcats squad.
The New Orleans (La.) Holy Cross standout started in 50 games for Kansas State on his way to becoming a coveted transfer in the portal.
Now, he’s made his move. Dardar will head home to suit up for the Bayou Bengals in his final season of eligibility.
No. 3: Danny Lachenmayer – Pitcher [NDSU]
Lachenmayer, a coveted freshman in the NCAA Transfer Portal, selected the National Champion LSU Tigers over the Arkansas Razorbacks after visiting Fayetteville this week.
The talented southpaw was used as a relief option in 2025 for the Bison where he made 24 appearances and recorded nine saves for North Dakota State.
Lachenmayer pitched 38 innings with a 2.37 ERA, 56 strikeouts, 18 walks and a .192 batting average against him during his freshman campaign.
Johnson and Co. have their recruiting caps on this week with the program intensifying its pursuit for multiple top targets in the NCAA Transfer Portal.
No. 4: Ryler Smart – Pitcher [Tennessee]
Smart, a Top-25 rated left-hander in the 2024 Recruiting Cycle, signed with the Volunteers after prepping at Pearland (Tex.).
The 6-foot-4, 236-pounder redshirted during his lone season in Knoxville after recovering from injury.
Smart was rated as the No. 183 overall prospect in the 2024 Recruiting Cycle and the No. 25 left-handed pitcher prior to signing with the Volunteers.
Now, he heads to Baton Rouge after committing to Johnson and Co. following a visit with the program this week.
LSU Football Wide Receiver Donating NIL Money Back to High School for Title Rings
LSU Football Holds Commitments From a Pair of Top-10 Wide Receivers in America
Brian Kelly’s Take: LSU Football Searching for Ideal Starting Offensive Line Rotation
Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU Tigers.
NIL
Cade Klubnik Turns $3.4M NIL Payday Into Community Giveback With Unique Deal
Cade Klubnik Turns $3.4M NIL Payday Into Community Giveback With Unique Deal originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik is making headlines off the field as well as on it, thanks to a groundbreaking new NIL deal that includes a highly detailed, lifelike action figure. Advertisement Valued at $3.4 million by On3’s NIL […]
Cade Klubnik Turns $3.4M NIL Payday Into Community Giveback With Unique Deal originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik is making headlines off the field as well as on it, thanks to a groundbreaking new NIL deal that includes a highly detailed, lifelike action figure.
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Valued at $3.4 million by On3’s NIL rankings, Klubnik has solidified his place not just as a top college quarterback but also as a marketable star attracting unique endorsements.
Klubnik recently partnered with Collegiate Legends, a company known for creating collectible action figures of prominent college football players. This deal marks the company’s first collaboration with an ACC athlete and comes as part of their final NIL campaign of the year.
Previous Collegiate Legends clients include standout athletes like South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers and Alabama’s Jaylen Mbakwe.
Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik (2) passes against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium.© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
“Cade embodies the leadership and character that make him a role model on and off the field,” said Holly Tanory, President of Collegiate Legends. “We are proud to feature him as our first ACC athlete, and we look forward to an exciting season ahead.”
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Klubnik has also committed to giving back, pledging a portion of the proceeds from the action figure sales to charity. He will make a special appearance to distribute these toys to children in the local community, while also donating some figures to Clemson Athletics to enhance fan and player engagement programs.
The timing of this NIL deal aligns perfectly with Klubnik’s rising profile. After a breakout 2024 season where he threw for 3,649 yards and 36 touchdowns, the Clemson star quarterback has been generating buzz as a Heisman Trophy candidate and NFL Draft prospect.
Ranked No. 7 on On3’s NIL valuation list and No. 8 on the NIL 100 — a ranking of the top college and high school athletes by NIL value — Klubnik is a major presence in the college football landscape.
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Heading into his senior season, Klubnik remains focused on growth and team success. “Quarterback is a developmental position, and building chemistry with my offensive coordinator has been key,” he recently told On3.
Related: Clemson Facing NIL Test as New Threat Emerges for 5-Star LB Tyler Atkinson
Related: Cade Klubnik Takes Shot at Transfer Culture, Praises Arch Manning but Snubs Rival
Related: EA Sports Misses Big With Dabo Swinney Look in College Football 26
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
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