Sports
The 10 Most Incredibly On

The NCAA spent decades making sure student-athletes weren’t allowed to make a single penny off of their name, image, and likeness, but that changed in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling that ushered in the NIL Era in 2021. A lot of fans have had issues with the impact that pivot has had on the landscape of college sports, but there are more than a few sponsorship deals you have to respect based on how much of a no-brainer they were.

iStockphoto / SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
A lot of schools have harnessed NIL deals and the collectives that hand them out to create an environment where players are essentially paid to play without having to do too much in return, but there are also plenty of companies and brands that have taken advantage of the chance to launch some wildly organic partnerships.
That includes a number of NIL sponsorships that stemmed from a unique name and some others where the two parties were just a match made in heaven—including…
Decoldest Crawford And An HVAC Company

Paul Karge/The Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
Decoldest Crawford’s name got some attention when he was making a name for himself as a high school football player in Louisiana; he claimed his middle name was ToEvaDoIt (sadly, it’s actually “Juan) and got his first taste of viral fame before heading to college.
Crawford initially enrolled at Nebraska in 2022 and didn’t waste much time signing an NIL deal with SOS Heating & Cooling, an HVAC company based in Omaha that had him film a commercial to promote its air conditioning maintenance services.
He was injured before his freshman season got underway and transferred to Louisiana Tech. However, he only had two receptions in 2023, didn’t play in 2024, and transferred to Grambling State ahead of the 2025 campaign.
Ga’Quincy “Kool-Aid” McKinstry And Kool-Aid

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The man born Ga-Quincy McKinstry earned his nickname immediately after he was born thanks to his grandmother, who noted he had a ” big Kool-Aid smile” as soon as he came out of the womb.
McKinstry ended up playing cornerback at Alabama for three years and signed an NIL deal with Kool-Aid ahead of his freshman season.
He declared for the NFL Draft in 2024 and has been a member of the Saints since they selected him in the second round with the 41st overall pick.
General Booty And An Underwear Brand

NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK
In 2002, Abram and Amy Booty welcomed a new son into the world before he received a birth certificate emblazoned with the name General Maximus Axel Booty.
They initially planned on calling him Axel, but he insisted on going by “General” and subsequently attracted plenty of attention for some fairly obvious reasons after he transferred to Oklahoma in 2022 after a season at a junior college.
The following year, Booty signed an NIL deal with Rock ‘Em Socks, which specializes in that particular form of apparel but also sold some underwear with his name on the back.
Booty ended up transferring to Louisiana-Monroe, and while he entered the portal after the most recent season, it doesn’t appear he’s found a new home.
Dieunerst Collin And Popeyes

NIL Summit via USA Today Network
If you’ve spent enough time on the internet, you’ve likely come across the GIF of a young Dieunerst Collin giving side-eye to a camera after being mistaken for the Vine star Terio while inside a Popeyes restaurant.
Collin ended up playing high school football in New Jersey and made it pretty clear he wanted an NIL deal with Popeyes after enrolling at Lake Erie College in 2021—one he was able to land shortly after making the request.
He was on the roster at UT-Permian Basin in 2024 but didn’t end up taking a snap.
Purchase, Moore, Hamann, Bacon And The Iowa Pork Producers Association

Nirmalendu Majumdar/Ames Tribune / USA TODAY NETWORK
In 2023, Iowa State’s football team boasted a quartet of players named Myles Purchse, Tyler Moore, Tommy Hamann, and Caleb Bacon.
The Iowa Pork Producers Association seized on a golden opportunity by giving all four of those players an NIL deal to encourage people to “Purchase More Ham And Bacon,” which the Sports Business Journal rightfully named the best one to come out of 2023.
The association also added Alec Cook and Zach Lovett to the equation in an attempt to further its message, and the deal was renewed in 2024.
Jake Retzlaff And A Kosher Food Company

Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
BYU is the nation’s preeminent Mormon university, and while every student-athlete has to sign its honor code, there have been plenty of players who weren’t members of the Church of Latter-Day Saints.
That includes Jake Retzlaff, the Jewish quarterback who embraced his “BY-Jew” nickname after earning the starting job in 2023.
Last season, he attracted the interest of Manischewitz, a kosher food company based in Cincinnati that signed him to promote products including matzo and potato latke mix.
Bijan Robinson’s Mustard Brand

Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Bijan Robinson reaped the benefits of being a big name at Texas, as his list of NIL deals included partnerships with Lamborghini, C4 Energy, and Raising Cane’s.
However, none of them were more unique than the one that led to the creation of the running back’s very own condiment—Bijan Mustardson—in 2022 to take advantage of the fact that his first name rhymes with “Dijon.”
Mohamed Ibrahim And Gushers

Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Plenty of athletes rely on small snacks to stay fueled during a game, and former Minnesota running back Mohamed Ibrahim garnered some attention when he was spotted gobbling down some Gushers on the sideline.
That led to the fruit snack brand giving him an NIL deal and his very own custom pack with a flavor dubbed “Touchdown Splash.”
Jeremy Roach And Darianna Littlepage-Buggs Link Up With Raid

Bob Donnan/Chris Jones-Imagn Images
We have our first non-football players courtesy of Jeremy Roach and Darianna Littlepage-Buggs, who both play basketball at Baylor (although the former was still at Duke when the deal in question was signed).
In 2024, the pest control brand Raid became the latest brand to execute an incredibly organic NIL agreement, and Roach and Buggs were both tapped for pretty obvious reasons.
John Daly II and Hooters

Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images
John Daly has famously spent close to three decades posting up in the parking lot of the Hooters down the street from Augusta National during The Masters, and his son ended up reaping the benefits.
In 2022, John Daly II (who plays golf at Arkansas) got an NIL deal from the chain a few years before it filed for bankruptcy after it signed him to serve as an official ambassador.
Sports
Isaiah Cadengo Posts Pair of Top 10 Marks as Vikings Close Season-Opening Silver & Blue Invitational
RENO, Nev. — Isaiah Cadengo sat and watched as two of his teammates set top 10 marks on the first day of the Silver & Blue Invitational Friday. Saturday, Cadengo ran like a man eager to put his own name in the record books as the freshman sprinter posted a pair of top 10 marks to lead the Vikings on the second day of the meet at Reno Sparks Convention Center.
Cadengo opened the day in the men’s 400 meters where he placed second overall in 48.56 seconds. The time set a freshman record and moved him up to No. 2 overall in the indoor 400 meters at Portland State, all in his first-ever race as a Viking. Freshman Zach Payne followed at fourth in 49.80 seconds, moving him up to fifth in the freshman top 10.
Cadengo wasn’t done, however. He returned to the track for the 200 meters later in the day, and finished fifth in the event in 21.91 seconds. The time moved him up to second in the freshman rankings and fourth overall at Portland State.
Fellow freshman Jack Macdonald – one of the two stars for the Vikings Friday alongside Emma Stolte – nearly bettered Cadengo in the 200. Running in a later heat, Macdonald finished in 21.95 seconds, putting him third in the freshman rankings and fifth overall. Macdonald may have been able to push for a faster time but won his heat by more than half a second.
It was the second top 10 mark of the weekend for Macdonald. He got his first with a time of 6.93 seconds in the 60 meters Friday, moving him up to second in the freshman rankings and sixth overall.
Payne, meanwhile, followed his classmates with a time of 22.38 seconds in the 200 meters, earning him a second freshman top 10 of the day. Payne now ranks sixth in the 200 in the freshman record book.
Stolte, like Macdonald, followed a top 10 mark Friday with another Saturday. Fifth all-time in the mile after Friday, Stolte moved up to second all-time in the 800 meters with her finish in 2:11.99.
Stolte came within 0.34 seconds of the school record that Katie Camarena set at 2:11.65 in 2022. Camarena set seven school records that season, none of which have fallen since. Stolte came as close as anyone has to bettering one of Camarena’s records Saturday, however.
The Vikings also got a pair of event wins out of their field athletes Saturday. One didn’t come with much suspense as Edward Niyongere was the only athlete in the men’s triple jump after another athlete scratched. Even still, Niyongere jumped 46-07.50 (14.21m) on his second attempt, a mark that would have put him in the top 10 if he wasn’t already ranked sixth all-time.
Freshman Natalie Fisher, meanwhile, had a more dramatic win in the women’s shot put. She passed Nevada’s Johanna Haas on her final attempt with a personal-best throw of 40-00.00 (12.19m). Fisher, who improved on all six attempts during the competition, added close to 15 inches to her overall best in the shot put with the winning mark.
The winning throw also moved Fisher up to third in the freshman rankings in the shot put. She entered the freshman top 10 in the weight throw Friday, moving up to eighth with a throw of 38-04.00 (11.68m).
A number of other Vikings competing Saturday showed improvement over their season openers a year ago. That group included all four Vikings competing in the women’s 200 meters. Tori Forst and Sienna Rosario led that group at third and fourth overall, respectively, while finishing in 25.36 and 25.66 seconds. Forst’s time was better than her first two 200-meter times last season. Rosario’s, meanwhile, was close to two seconds faster than their season opener a year ago.
Savannah Beasley placed 14th in the women’s 200 meters in 26.76 seconds, setting a personal best by 1.7 seconds. Ashley Peterson placed 16th in 26.90 seconds, eleven-hundredths of a second faster than her season opener in 2025.
Dillon Brost did the same thing on the men’s side of the 200 meters. The sophomore placed 17th overall in 22.98 seconds, not a personal best but two and a half seconds better than his season opener as a freshman.
Aidan Sweeney set an overall personal best with his 200-meter finish in 23.71 seconds.
Freshman Farhan Ibrahim shaved close to eight seconds off his indoor best in the 3k while finishing second in the event in 8:56.79. Luke Gillingham followed at fourth in 9:03.13, shaving 13 seconds off his best in the 3k.
The Vikings will be back in action next week when they head to Seattle, Wash., for the UW Preview next Friday and Saturday.
Silver & Blue Invitational
Reno Sparks Convention Center
Reno, Nev.
Jan. 9-10, 2026
Women’s Results:
60m (Prelims): 3. Tori Forst, 7.74; 7. Sienna Rosario, 7.94; 11. Aida Wheat, 8.14. 60m (Final): 2. Tori Forst, 7.67; 7. Sienna Rosario, 7.92. 200m: 3. Tori Forst, 25.36; 4. Sienna Rosario, 25.66; 14. Savannah Beasley, 26.76; 16. Ashley Peterson, 26.90. 400m: 4. Ashley Peterson, 1:00.85. 600m: 6. Hannah Butterfield, DQ. 800m: 2. Emma Stolte, 2:11.99. 1,000m: 1. Hannah Butterfield, 3:07.26. Mile: 1. Emma Stolte, 4:54.25; 9. Sam Sharp, 5:33.24; 11. Libby Fox, 5:45.67. 3,000m: 7. Sam Sharp, 10:59.76; 10. Libby Fox, 11:26.42. 60H (Prelims): 15. Savannah Beasley, 9.66. Shot Put: 1. Natalie Fisher, 40-00.00 (12.19m). Weight Throw: 3. Natalie Fisher, 38-04.00 (11.68m).
Men’s Results:
60m (Prelims): 4. Jack Macdonald, 6.99; 16. Dillon Brost, 7.25. 60m (Final): 4. Jack Macdonald, 6.93. 200m: 5. Isaiah Cadengo, 21.91; 7. Jack Macdonald, 21.95; 9. Zach Payne, 22.38; 17. Dillon Brost, 22.98; 21. Aidan Sweeney, 23.71; Preston Jones, DNF. 400m: 2. Isaiah Cadengo, 48.56; 4. Zach Payne, 49.80; 5. Preston Jones, 51.36. 1,000m: 1. Amir Ahmed, 2:41.49. Mile: 5. Luke Gillingham, 4:29.48; 6. Farhan Ibrahim, 4:31.46. 3,000m: 2. Farhan Ibrahim, 8:56.79; 4. Luke Gillingham, 9:03.13. 60H (Prelims): 4. Aidan Sweeney, 8.66; 5. Deghlan Johnson, 8.68. 60H (Final): 4. Deghlan Johnson, 8.60; 5. Aidan Sweeney, 8.68. Triple Jump: 1. Edward Niyongere, 46-07.50 (14.21m). Weight Throw: 1. Daniel Coppedge, 50-10.75 (15.51m); 3. Carter Green, 36-05.75 (11.12m).
Sports
Meet The Journal’s high school girls volleyball All-State teams
Jan. 11, 2026, 5:01 a.m. ET
The Providence Journal is proud to announce the 2025 All-State Girls Volleyball first and second teams. The Journal Sports staff, with some help from the coaches associations, determines the first- and second-team members.
2025 Providence Journal All-State Girls Volleyball Team
First Team
Lyla Auth, Westerly
Senior, Outside hitter
Auth steered Westerly to its second girls volleyball championship as the best player in Division II. The Manhattan University commit finished with 268 kills and a 49.8 kill percentage this fall. The Bulldogs finished the year undefeated and Auth’s near-perfect play on the outside was the biggest reason.
Sports
Virat Kohli Creates History at 38, Smashes Three World Records in First ODI Against New Zealand
With this feat, Kohli surpassed the record of legendary Sachin Tendulkar by becoming the fastest player to reach 28,000 international runs, achieving the landmark in just 624 innings. In comparison, Sachin Tendulkar took 644 innings, while Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara reached the mark in 666 innings.
Kohli reached the milestone with a boundary, needing just 25 runs before the match to complete 28,000 international runs. Earlier, only Sachin Tendulkar and Kumar Sangakkara had entered this elite club.
The New Zealand ODI also saw Kohli become the second-highest run-scorer in international cricket history. By scoring 42 runs in the match, he overtook Kumar Sangakkara, who has 28,016 international runs to his name. Sachin Tendulkar remains at the top of the list.
In Test cricket, Virat Kohli has scored 9,230 runs in 123 matches, while in T20 Internationals he has amassed 4,188 runs across 125 matches. Before the New Zealand series, Kohli had played 556 international matches, scoring 27,975 runs in 623 innings at an impressive average of 52.58, including 84 centuries and 145 half-centuries.
Adding to his rich vein of form, Kohli has registered two centuries and three half-centuries in his last five matches, underlining his consistency and match-winning ability.
Virat Kohli’s latest achievement not only reinforces his place among the greatest cricketers of all time but also highlights his unmatched longevity and hunger for excellence on the international stage.
Sports
Long Beach State vs. McKendree, Men’s Volleyball – The562.org
Rasheed, also known as Casper, is a sports photographer who interned for The562 throughout his senior year of high school and is currently attending CSULB while continuing to freelance. To access his work, you can check his Instagram and site below:
Instagram: @visuals.casper
https://casper-visuals.com/
Sports
No. 3 Long Beach State Sweeps McKendree to Close Opening Weekend – The562.org
The562’s coverage of Long Beach State athletics for the 2025-26 season is sponsored by Marilyn Bohl.
The No. 3 Long Beach State men’s volleyball team didn’t need to drop a set on opening weekend to shake off any early-season jitters.
The defending national champions opened the season at the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid with a pair of sweeps, dispatching Lindenwood on Friday before closing the weekend with a straight-set win over McKendree on Saturday night. While the Beach never dropped a set, Saturday’s match provided a sterner test, highlighted by a thrilling second set in a 25–22, 35–33, 25–16 victory.
“We’re proud of how our guys responded after last night,” head coach Nick MacRae said. “Tonight we played a good McKendree team, who we could very well see later in the season. We say in our locker room that we can learn as much from a win as we can from a loss. Last night was halftime, and we got our third-quarter response today.”
The Beach trailed by their largest margin of the night at three points during the second set and went on to fight off a preposterous eight McKendree set points. First-year setter Jake Pazanti led a balanced attack during that stretch and nailed an ace to give the Beach their final set point, followed by a McKendree hitting error that secured a two-set lead.
“It’s good for us long term,” said standout senior Skyler Varga of the second-set rally. “I think we needed to go through that, and even if we didn’t pull out the win in that set, I think it still would’ve been good for us to show that we can come back after being down. It definitely shows our team values, and we really need to go through those moments to be a national championship–level team this year.”
Varga had himself a match, finishing with nine kills on a team-high .368 hitting percentage along with five assists and 11 digs. Perhaps the most impressive stat came from behind the service line, where Varga accounted for seven of the Beach’s 10 aces with just one service error.
The senior outside hitter is coming off a stint as the youngest member of Team Canada in the Volleyball Nations League this past summer, where he emerged as one of the go-to options and capped the season with a 24-kill performance. Varga spoke about his experience and how it has prepared him for his future in the sport.
“Things are faster in international volleyball, and people are consistently hitting harder and making fewer errors,” he said. “It’s forced me to focus more on error management and helped me read the game better. No disrespect to NCAA volleyball, but it’s a little slower, which has made it easier for me to read.”
Opening weekend also gave the Beach a chance to flex some of its depth at opposite, where freshman Wojciech Gajek made his home debut on Friday before Daniil Hershtynovich got the start on Saturday night. Hershtynovich is coming off an injury last season and had a productive night, finishing with a game-high 12 kills.
“We flex our depth yet again, and you’re going to constantly see that,” MacRae said. “[Hershtynovich] got 30 swings and hit nearly .400—that’s a shoutout to him. Maybe early on he wasn’t able to find his serve, but that was part of the process tonight of building him up and letting him be himself, knowing that he’s been in those moments again and again. He was very physical tonight, and that’s exactly what this team needs him to be, and we’re very proud of him.”
Long Beach State also showed its depth on the outside, where Alex Kandev got the start and finished with seven kills. Connor Bloom entered the match permanently while the Beach trailed midway through the second set and chipped in a pair of kills.
At the net, the Beach totaled just 6.5 blocks after recording 12 on Friday night, but Saturday provided the middle blockers opportunities to make an impact elsewhere. Ben Braun had a solid night with seven kills on .500 hitting, while freshman Jackson Cryst finished with four kills on .500 hitting.
“They’re in charge of our entire unit at the net,” MacRae said. “Just because we don’t have the block stat, it’s about being on the other side of the net as much as possible. It was a good response by McKendree, so instead of saying we have to get 20 blocks, it’s about saying, ‘Ok, we had six blocks, but how many balls did we dig?’ It’s a credit to them. They did their job getting across the net.”
Long Beach State will now go on the road next to Ohio, where they’ll face a trio of games next week. That trip will conclude with a match at Ohio State on Saturday, before the Beach returns home to host Fort Valley State on Jan. 23.
Sports
Beach Earn Back-to-Back Home Wins with Sweep of McKendree
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Long Beach State continued its strong start to the 2026 season Saturday night, earning a straight-set victory over McKendree inside the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. The win gave the Beach back-to-back home victories before heading on the road next week for a three-match stretch away from Long Beach.
Long Beach State 3, McKendree 0
(25-22, 35-33, 25-16)
The Beach opened the match with aggressive serving and balanced offense in the first set. After early exchanges between the two teams, Long Beach State used a five-point scoring run to create separation, highlighted by back-to-back aces and steady play in transition. McKendree trimmed the deficit late, but the Beach remained composed, closing the set with an ace to secure a 25-22 win.
Set two turned into a marathon battle, featuring numerous ties and momentum swings. Neither team was able to pull away as both sides traded sideouts deep into the set. Long Beach State fought off multiple set points behind timely kills and disciplined defense. A late service ace helped shift momentum, and the Beach eventually claimed the extended frame, 35-33, on a McKendree attacking error to take a 2-0 match lead.
Long Beach State carried that momentum into the third set, quickly establishing control with strong serving pressure and consistent defensive play. The Beach put together a five-point run midway through the set to open up a lead and never looked back. Solid net play and clean sideout execution allowed Long Beach State to close out the match with a 25-16 victory.
Skyler Varga led the Beach with nine kills and a match-high seven aces, while Daniil Hershtynovich added a team-high 12 kills. Ben Braun contributed seven kills on .500 hitting, and Jake Pazanti directed the offense with 34 assists. Defensively, Long Beach State recorded 48 digs in the three-set match, an impressive effort that fueled transition scoring throughout the night. At the net, the Beach finished with 6.5 team blocks.
Long Beach State will return to action next week when the Beach hit the road for three matches as the 2026 season continues.
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