As NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) continues to evolve, diversity is taking hold.
It’s not just college football and basketball players making big money anymore. In the latest example of how NIL is branching out, athletes in wrestling, softball, track and field, and ice hockey signed significant individual NIL deals in the last week, and Texas women’s volleyball reached a major partnership with Fairfield by Marriott.
Here’s a recap of some of the top NIL deals signed over the past week.
FLAU’JAE JOHNSON
The LSU women’s basketball player and one of the nation’s biggest NIL stars signed a new deal with Puma. Even prior to the deal, Johnson led all women’s college athletes with a $1.5 million estimated NIL valuation.
JALON DANIELS
The Kansas football quarterback had a big NIL week, signing deals with Whataburger and Dr. Pepper. He previously had deals with Adidas and Applebee’s.
TEXAS VOLLEYBALL
The Longhorns have been a long-time power in the sport, with NCAA Tournament appearances in 20 straight seasons. This year, Texas is 25-3, ranked No. 3, and recently knocked defending national champion Penn State out of the NCAA Tournament. So it’s only natural that the Longhorns are partnering with a top hotel chain like Fairfield by Marriott. Texas also has a significant partnership with Nike.
PAYTON CONROY
The Michigan State softball shortstop showed lots of promise in her first two seasons, and big things are expected in 2026. That’s part of the reason she recently signed an NIL deal with MSU Credit Union.
KARLYN PICKENS
The Tennessee softball pitcher rose to fame last season when she threw the fastest college softball pitch on record (79.4 mph). She was the Softball America Pitcher of the Year for 2025. Now, her fame is paying off. Pickens signed a deal last week with Taylor Farms to promote its line of salads. Previous partnerships include deals with New Balance and Hard Knox Pizza.
JOEY BLAZE
The Purdue wrestler was the NCAA runner-up at 157 pounds last season as a sophomore and was the youngest Boilermaker to appear in a national final since 1950. He recently signed a deal with USA Wrestling. Blaze has already established himself as an NIL entrepreneur and manages his own clothing line, Blaze Apparel.
ANGELDUI ASAAH
The University of Pennsylvania track and field star has been dominant in the field events. She won the 2025 NCAA Championship in the outdoor discus event and was first-team All-Ivy League in the shot put during the indoor season. She signed a deal with C4 Energy last week.
D’ANDRE HARDEMAN JR.
The Rice running back has had a promising freshman season. That helped earn him an NIL deal with Planet Fitness.
WYATT NOVARA
The Michigan left-handed baseball pitcher is viewed as a rising star. He recently signed a deal with Dollar Shave Club.
PARIS MIKINSKI
She’s a rising star in women’s track and field. Mikinski finished 10th in the high jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships and was named a second-team All-American. She recently signed an NIL deal with C4 Energy.
Learn More About the NIL Landscape
Name, Image, and Likeness plays an increasing role in college sports, and understanding how it works often requires more than individual articles or news updates.
RallyFuel is a platform focused on NIL-related topics across college athletics. It brings together information about athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure behind modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in more depth.
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