STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WWE (NYSE: WWE) today unveiled 15 college athletes who will be among the first to participate in the company’s newly formed NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) program that provides a clear pathway from collegiate athletics to WWE.
The inaugural “Next In Line™” class includes athletes from 13 universities, seven NCAA conferences and four sports. In addition to the United States, the class includes representation from myriad countries spanning from Canada and Nigeria. The following 15 athletes join Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson in WWE’s first-of-its-kind NIL program:
Name |
School |
Sport |
Height/Weight |
Hometown |
||||
Carlos Aviles |
Ohio State |
Track & Field |
6’ 6”, 305 lbs. |
Ventura, Calif. |
||||
Haley Cavinder |
Fresno State |
Basketball |
5’ 6” |
Gilbert, Ariz. |
||||
Hanna Cavinder |
Fresno State |
Basketball |
5’ 6” |
Gilbert, Ariz. |
||||
A.J. Ferrari |
Oklahoma State |
Wrestling |
6’, 200 lbs. |
Dallas, Texas |
||||
Lexi Gordon |
Duke |
Basketball |
6’ |
Fort Worth, Texas |
||||
Aleeya Hutchins |
Wake Forest |
Track & Field |
5’ 5” |
Toronto, Canada |
||||
John Krahn |
Portland State |
Football |
7’, 400 lbs. |
Riverside, Calif. |
||||
Glen Logan |
LSU |
Football |
6’ 5”, 305 lbs. |
Kennar, La. |
||||
Isaac Odugbesan |
Alabama |
Track & Field |
6’ 4”, 275 lbs. |
Lagos, Nigeria |
||||
Mason Parris |
Michigan |
Wrestling |
6’ 2”, 275 lbs. |
Lawrenceburg, Ind. |
||||
Masai Russell |
Kentucky |
Track & Field |
5’ 5” |
Potomac, Md. |
||||
Jon Seaton |
Elon |
Football |
6’ 1”, 285 lbs. |
Hillsborough, N.J. |
||||
Joe Spivak |
Northwestern |
Football |
6’, 300 lbs. |
Lombard, Ill. |
||||
Dalton Wagner |
Arkansas |
Football |
6’ 9”, 330 lbs. |
Spring Grove, Ill. |
||||
Riley White |
Alabama |
Track & Field |
5’ 6” |
Hoover, Ala. |
WWE’s NIL program was announced last week following the NCAA’s historic new policy that took effect on July 1, 2021, which has ushered in the NIL era allowing college athletes the ability to monetize their name, image and likeness. The comprehensive program serves to recruit and develop potential future Superstars, and further enhances WWE’s talent development process through collaborative partnerships with college athletes from diverse athletic backgrounds.
All athlete partnerships will feature access to the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla., in addition to resources across the organization including brand building, media training, communications, live event promotion, creative writing and community relations. Upon completion of the NIL program, select athletes may earn an exclusive opportunity to be offered a WWE contract.
Learn more about the “Next In Line” program at WWE.com/NIL.
About WWE
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