PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California-based Wescom Credit Union today announced its Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) partnership with members of the entire UCLA Women’s Basketball team for the 2023-2024 season. This is the first time an entire UCLA sports team has signed a NIL deal since the NCAA enacted the new rules for student-athletes in 2021.
“Our new NIL partnership with all members of the UCLA Women’s Basketball team not only furthers our already deep connection with UCLA Athletics, but this collaboration will help advance women’s athletic programs while providing economic opportunity for UCLA’s female student-athletes,” stated Ashley White, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Wescom Credit Union. “We are proud to offer our continued support and comprehensive financial resources to the Bruin community, helping build better lives on and off campus.”
Wescom is the Official Banking Partner of UCLA Athletics, and the UCLA Women’s Basketball team plays at the University’s storied Pauley Pavilion Presented by Wescom. In addition to the NIL partnership with all 12 student-athletes on the UCLA Women’s Basketball team, Wescom also inked a partnership with the Michael Price Family UCLA Women’s Head Basketball Coach, Cori Close.
The UCLA Women’s Basketball team has appeared in six of the last seven NCAA tournaments and finished as conference tournament runner-up in the Pac-12 last season with a 27-10 overall record1. The team made it to the Sweet 16 before being eliminated by the NCAA Champion, South Carolina. Bruins are predicated to be top three in the nation heading into the 2023-24 season2.
"Wescom's commitment to supporting female student-athletes means so much to me," reflected UCLA Bruins Guard Londynn Jones, a sophomore who hails from Riverside, California. "My goal is to play professional basketball after I graduate, so I really value the financial education they provide to UCLA student-athletes. And as a Bruin who grew up in SoCal, I particularly appreciate Wescom's commitment to supporting UCLA and all Southern Californians through their charitable giving and community involvement."
This alignment marks the second official UCLA NIL partnership for Wescom, demonstrating Wescom’s unwavering commitment to building a robust NIL ecosystem for UCLA athletes. Previously, from August 2022 to February 2023, Wescom had its inaugural NIL partnership with UCLA Women’s Softball student-athlete Maya Brady.
Wescom has supported and partnered with UCLA for more than seven years now. In addition to being the Official Banking Partner of UCLA Athletics, the Credit Union is also the Official Banking Partner of the UCLA Alumni Association, UCLA Campus Life and Recreation, UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars, and the Rose Bowl Stadium. Additionally, Wescom is an Official Partner of Associated Students of UCLA (ASUCLA).
To learn more about Wescom’s NIL partnership with members of the UCLA Women’s Basketball Team, please visit wescom.org/nil.
About Wescom Credit Union
Since 1934, Wescom Credit Union has been dedicated to helping people throughout California build better lives. Headquartered in Pasadena, California, Wescom has 24 branches and offers advanced digital banking tools to provide essential banking solutions to more than 225,000 members. Benefits include free checking with eStatements, lower loan rates, higher savings yields, reduced fees, and a robust network of branches and ATMs. #WescomKindness is an extension of Wescom Credit Union’s nearly 90-year tradition of serving its community through such programs as The Wescom Foundation – the Credit Union’s employee-run charitable foundation. Wescom is federally insured by NCUA. For more information, please visit wescom.org.
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1 https://www.si.com/college/ucla/womens-basketball/womens-basketball-insider-assesses-upside-of-bruins-in-2024-big-ten-ak1987
2 https://www.si.com/college/ucla/womens-basketball/bruins-crash-top-3-of-new-preseason-rankings-ak1987
