NIL Edge

What does it take for a national consumer brand to build successful NIL partnerships?  On this episode of  The NIL Edge , Sterling Randle sits down with Heather Leiferman, Director of Communications at Great Clips, to discuss how one of the country's largest retail brands has approached NIL since entering the space in 2021.  Heather shares how Great Clips evolved from treating student-athletes...

What does the future of college athletics look like now that the House settlement is here? In this special AthleteCon edition of NIL Edge, we sat down Will Hall, partner at Jones Walker; Joey Blake, litigation associate at Spencer Fane and a member of the legal team involved in the House settlement; and Steve Simmons, co-founder of NILENT. Hall shares how schools are navigating revenue sharing, at...

What does it take to prepare student-athletes for success in today's NIL environment? In this episode of NIL Edge, we sit down with Lauren Cherry, Director of NIL Strategy & Revenue Share Operations at the University of North Texas, to discuss how athletic departments can help student-athletes build the skills needed to thrive in the modern college athletics landscape. Lauren shares how North...

In this episode of NIL Edge, Brett Sible, Associate AD for NIL Strategy and Innovation at DePaul University, joins the show to discuss how DePaul is navigating the evolving NIL and revenue-sharing landscape from a uniquely different position within college athletics. Brett shares how DePaul’s location in Chicago, lack of football, and direct approach to revenue sharing are shaping the school’s str...

A conversation with Lisa Hake, the Chief Marketing Officer of Winmark Corporation, the parent company of brands including Play It Again Sports, Plato’s Closet, Once Upon A Child, Style Encore, and Music Go Round. The discussion explores how major consumer brands think about athlete partnerships, what makes NIL opportunities stand out internally, and why authenticity and audience alignment matter m...

In this episode of NIL Edge, we sit down with Justin DiTolla, Associate AD for NIL at Cal, to break down what it actually looks like to operate an NIL and revenue share model inside a Power Four athletic department. With a background in compliance and now leading Cal’s NIL efforts, Justin offers a real-world perspective on how roles, responsibilities, and priorities have rapidly evolved. At the ce...

In this episode of NIL Edge, we sit down with Josie Leinart, WeAreNIL Practice Lead & Sports Law Attorney, to break down the realities of navigating NIL in today’s rapidly shifting college athletics landscape. With experience advising athletes, schools, and brands, Josie offers a clear-eyed view into where the industry is working—and where it’s falling short. At the center of the conversation...

In this episode of NIL Edge , we sit down with Brennan White, Assistant AD / General Manager for NIL Administration at Illinois State , to explore how NIL strategy looks outside the Power Four — and what it really takes to build sustainable opportunities for student-athletes at the FCS level. Brennan shares lessons from Illinois State’s recent football success, the realities of operating with limi...

On this episode of NIL Edge, Sterling Randle sits down with Maya Bulger to go inside the day-to-day realities of running NIL at an SEC institution — and how Mississippi State is building a program rooted in education, authenticity, and strategic partnerships. From revenue share logistics and third-party NIL operations to brand alignment and creative activations, Maya shares how her team is navigat...

In this episode of NIL Edge , we’re joined by Travis Hansen , Senior Associate Athletic Director - Revenue Sharing and NIL at BYU, for a deep dive into how one of college sports’ most unique institutions approaches NIL through a transformational—not transactional—lens. Travis shares how BYU aligns athlete identity, education, faith, and purpose with brand partnerships, and why the future of NIL mu...

In this episode of NIL Edge , we sit down with Jack Adler , Founder & CEO of Out2Win , to unpack how data, authenticity, and scalable strategy are reshaping athlete brand partnerships. Jack shares how Out2Win evolved from facilitating early NIL deals into a full-scale athlete marketability intelligence platform—and why brands, universities, and agencies can no longer afford to rely on guesswor...

What does a sustainable , athlete-centric NIL operation actually look like inside a Big Ten athletic department? In this episode of The NIL Edge , Sterling Randle sits down with Jeremiah Carter , Executive Associate AD for NIL & Risk Management at the University of Minnesota , to break down how Minnesota is building NIL systems that balance compliance, creativity, and competitive advantage. Fr...

Insurance isn’t usually the first thing people think about when they talk NIL—but in today’s revenue-sharing era, it’s quickly becoming one of the most important. In this episode of NIL Edge , host Sterling Randle sits down with Tate Gillespie , Vice President of Strategy & Partnerships at Players Health and former inaugural NIL Director at Kansas, to unpack how insurance, risk management, and...

Wisconsin has developed one of the most aligned and forward-thinking NIL operations in college athletics—and Director of NIL Strategy Brian Mason takes us inside the model. From reimagining athlete education to building true cross-department collaboration to launching brand partnerships that deliver real, measurable ROI, Brian explains how the Badgers built an NIL ecosystem that’s winning on every...

In this episode of NIL Edge , Student Athlete Score co-founder & CEO Brent Wall discusses how his team is building one of the most advanced marketing intelligence platforms in the NIL and revenue-sharing era. Brent explains the origin of the company—including the original “FICO score for athletes” idea—how AI powers their valuation tools, and why data-driven insights are becoming essential for...

In this episode of The NIL Edge , host Sterling Randle sits down with Haneen Rashwan , Director of NIL Administration at Baylor University , to explore how Baylor’s “Preparing Champions for Life” philosophy shapes its approach to student-athlete branding, education, and empowerment. Haneen shares how she built innovative NIL programs at both Oklahoma State and Baylor, her hands-on mentorship with...

Guest: Joe Shepard — Assistant AD, NIL Strategy & Execution, University of South Carolina In this installment of NIL Edge , host Sterling Randle sits down with Joe Shepard , the Assistant Athletic Director for NIL Strategy & Execution at South Carolina. Shepard shares how the Gamecocks structure a holistic NIL ecosystem—anchored in education, community alignment, and authentic brand partne...

In this episode of NIL Edge , Sterling Randle sits down with Logan Hittle , Associate Athletic Director of NIL and Strategic Initiatives at Ohio State University . Hittle has been at the forefront of shaping one of the largest NIL operations in the country, overseeing more than 5,000 deals across 36 sports . Drawing from his own journey as a walk-on athlete turned administrator, Logan shares how O...

Highlights from this Interview: How Boise State works with athletes to develop a personal brand. How to create valuable relationships for businesses who want to work with athletes. How Collin’s collegiate athletic experience has helped him in his role. About the Guest: Collin comes to Boise State from Bowling Green, Kentucky, where he served as an assistant athletic director of student-athlete dev...

Highlights from this Interview: How Florida is navigating the NIL and revenue-sharing landscape. Lessons for athletic departments managing athlete partnerships. Ben’s advice to students and professionals looking to work in NIL. About the Guest: Ben Chase is the Director of NIL Strategy at the University of Florida and one of the most innovative voices in athlete branding and revenue strategy. Know...