The Summit League thrives on fan passion—yours! Whether you’re cheering for St. Thomas’s milestone Division I journey or South Dakota State’s basketball legacy, your support fuels regional pride and drives national ambition. Discover how you, as a Summit League fan, can directly impact athletes through platforms like RallyFuel.
Why the Summit League Matters in NIL
The Summit League has become a unique NIL environment for important reasons:
- Multiple Summit League institutions—including North Dakota State, North Dakota, South Dakota State, and St. Thomas—opted into the House v. NCAA settlement’s revenue-sharing model, demonstrating their commitment to student-athlete compensation.
- The University of St. Thomas directly transitioned from Division III to Division I, completing the historic process in June 2025. The Tommies recorded 73 men’s basketball wins during the provisional period—second-most ever by a reclassifying program.
- Academic Excellence: The Summit League achieved a combined 92% Graduation Success Rate for 2024-25. This ranks the league in the top 10 among Division I conferences. Summit League baseball led the nation with a 98% GSR.
- Regional Identity: Nine members across the Dakotas, Minnesota, Nebraska, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Colorado create strong regional rivalries and community connections.
- Schools built sophisticated NIL ecosystems, including NDSU’s Green and Gold Fund, SDSU’s Jacked NIL platform, and St. Thomas’s Elevate the Arches collective.
- Rising Stars: St. Thomas sophomore Nolan Minessale led all Division I players in total points through December 2025. This shows the NIL potential at mid-major schools.
Summit League athletes engage regional fanbases, and NIL support connects Great Plains and Midwest communities directly with their student-athletes.
Summit League NIL by School
NIL activity spans Summit League programs:
- Denver: Pioneers in the Denver market with Pioneer Exchange (powered by INFLCR). Departing for the West Coast Conference in July 2026.
- Kansas City (UMKC): Roos with access to the Kansas City metro market. Roos United philanthropic portal and KC Roos Exchange (INFLCR) provide NIL infrastructure.
- Nebraska Omaha: The Mavericks have access to the Omaha market. They first opted out of revenue sharing to evaluate their strategy, but will opt in for 2026-27. A $67.5 million facilities investment is in progress.
- North Dakota: Fighting Hawks with a passionate Grand Forks fanbase. Opted into revenue sharing. 1883 Collective and INFLCR Exchange support student-athletes.
- North Dakota State: Bison with a devoted Fargo community. Opted into revenue sharing. The Green and Gold Fund replaced the independent collective, managed through the NDSU Team Makers Club, with 100% of proceeds supporting student-athletes.
- Oral Roberts: Golden Eagles in Tulsa with a devoted Christian community. Eternal Flame Collective and The Brandr Group’s partnership provides group licensing for co-branded merchandise.
- South Dakota: Coyotes with a passionate Vermillion fanbase. Pride of the Western Plain collective (powered by SANIL and Opendorse) supports student-athletes across all sports.
- South Dakota State: Jackrabbits with devoted Brookings community. Opted into revenue sharing. Jacked NIL platform (Jackrabbit Sports Properties/Learfield/Opendorse) provides a compliant marketplace for athletes.
- St. Thomas: Tommies with Twin Cities metro market access. Opted into revenue sharing as a full DI member. Elevate the Arches collective focuses on professional development and mentorship. Athlete’s Thread partnership for merchandise.
RallyFuel hosts and verifies athletes from Summit League schools for direct fan support.
Summit League NIL Beyond Basketball
The Summit League excels in NIL across multiple sports:
- Men’s Basketball: St. Thomas topped the 2025-26 preseason poll behind Nolan Minessale’s breakout season. Omaha, South Dakota State, and North Dakota State field competitive programs with engaged fanbases.
- Women’s Basketball: Conference programs compete for NCAA Tournament automatic bids with dedicated regional followings.
- Football (FCS): North Dakota State dominates the Missouri Valley Football Conference (separate from Summit League), while other members compete in various FCS conferences with strong NIL infrastructure.
- Soccer: Men’s and women’s programs across the conference maintain competitive traditions with community support.
- Baseball: The Summit League leads the nation in the GSR ranking (98%), demonstrating its commitment to the scholar-athlete model.
- Swimming & Diving: Denver has historically led conference competition with national-caliber programs.
Fan-powered platforms like RallyFuel enable fans to support athletes across all Summit League sports—not just basketball.
How Summit League Fans Can Support Athletes
Summit League fans can fuel current roster athletes through RallyFuel in a few simple steps:
1. Create an account on RallyFuel.com or the mobile app.
2. Select your Summit League school affiliation.
3. Browse verified athletes currently on your program’s roster.
4. Fuel athletes across any sport
5. Track your support through your fan dashboard.
When you purchase Fan Fuel, you gain Conditional NIL Engagement Rights (CNERs). If conditions are met, RallyFuel or its affiliate offers an NIL Agreement to the athlete. If conditions aren’t met—for example, if an athlete transfers—you automatically receive a refund.
RallyFuel’s conditional model protects Fan Fuel with automatic refunds if athletes transfer or conditions aren’t met. Summit League fans can support players without financial risk.
Important: Fan support through RallyFuel is voluntary and subject to conditions. Fuel purchases are not charitable donations. RallyFuel is not a guarantor that any athlete will accept an NIL Agreement. Purchasing Fan Fuel does not guarantee athletic performance, playing time, or any specific outcome.
Summit League Battleground Competition
RallyFuel’s Battleground tracks Summit League rankings:
How It Works:
- Every Fan Fuel contribution adds to your school’s total.
- Real-time updates as transactions occur
- Summit League schools ranked against each other and nationally.
- Championship counts display alongside NIL totals.
Conference Competition:
- See how your school compares to Summit League rivals.
- Dakota rivalries (NDSU vs. UND, SDSU vs. USD) extend to Battleground.
- Track your personal contribution to the school totals.
Battleground measures and showcases fan engagement for current roster athletes—demonstrating which Summit League fan bases actively support their programs.
The Transfer Portal and NIL
The transfer portal has intensified NIL activity across the Summit League:
For Athletes: Players entering the portal evaluate multiple factors, including NIL opportunity. Athletes make independent decisions—NIL is one consideration among academics, playing time, coaching, location, and other factors.
Fans can support athletes in the transfer portal using RallyFuel’s conditional model. If an athlete selects a different school during the conditional period, RallyFuel automatically refunds fans.
Conditional Protection:
- Automatic refunds if the athlete selects a different school
- Automatic refunds if the conditional period expires
- No financial risk to fans
Important: Fan support does not guarantee any athlete will transfer to a specific program. RallyFueldoess not guarantee any athlete will accept an NIL Agreement or join aparticularc school. Athletes decide based on many factors.
Ready to Support Summit League Athletes?
Visit RallyFuel today to explore verified Summit League athletes, check your school’s Battleground ranking, and fuel your team’s success now.
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 on athletes, NIL activity, and the broader structure of modern college sports, helping readers explore the topic in greater depth.
Visit RallyFuel
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can Summit League fans support athletes through NIL?
Summit League fans can fuel athletes directly through RallyFuel by creating an account, selecting their school affiliation, and browsing verified athletes. The conditional model provides automatic refunds if athletes transfer or conditions aren’t met.
Which Summit League schools are on RallyFuel?
Athletes from Summit League schools are available for fan support on RallyFuel, including North Dakota State, South Dakota State, North Dakota, South Dakota, St. Thomas, Oral Roberts, Nebraska Omaha, Kansas City, and Denver.
Why is NIL important for Summit League athletes?
NIL creates opportunity for Summit League athletes at mid-major programs competing in the Great Plains and Midwest. With multiple schools opting into revenue sharing, fan support through platforms like RallyFuel allows regional communities to directly support their student-athletes.
Can I support Summit League athletes in sports other than basketball?
Yes. RallyFuel hosts verified Summit League athletes across all sports—soccer, swimming, baseball, and more. Fan support extends beyond basketball to all Summit League athletes.
Leave a Comment