Female Athletes Whose Name, Image and Likeness Changed the Collegiate Game

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), was created in 1906, and maintains its status as the governing organization of collegiate athletics in America. As collegiate sports have experienced rapid growth in both their size and popularity, the NCAA currently oversees nearly half a million student-athletes. It’s a surprise to no one that this unprecedented growth has had financial implications. In 2021, the NCAA reported over $1.15 billion in revenue, distributing $613 million back to its member schools. Additionally, several individual athletic departments report revenues upwards of $40 million each year. 

Prior to July 2021, when the NCAA implemented their first Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) policy for both women’s and men’s sports, athletes playing under NCAA regulation were not permitted to profit off their own personal brands or likeness. Pay-for-play and improper recruiting tactic restrictions remain in effect today, but under current NCAA policy, athletes can now profit from autographs, memorabilia, merchandise, appearances, podcasting, blogging, ambassador roles or any other kind of endorsement deal or activity that offers financial compensation in exchange for their own name and likeness. 

Livvy Dunne – Louisiana State University, Gymnastics ($4M)

Unsurprisingly, when the NCAA issued their first NIL policy in 2021, the majority of athletes who found success through NIL activities were male. But this wasn’t the case in Baton Rouge. Out of the six female athletes who broke into the top 100 on ON3’s NIL valuation ranking in 2023, Louisiana State University was home to four of them. Nicknamed “TikTok’s million-dollar-tumbler”, Livvy Dunne is a fifth year gymnast at Louisiana State University (LSU). She’s also the most followed college athlete on social media, and with an estimated Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) valuation of nearly four million dollars, Dunne has established herself as the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) all-time highest-valued female athlete. Dunne has set the precedent for what female athletes, in particular those competing in non-revenue generating sports, can accomplish through their collegiate careers by use of their own likeness.

Over the course of her impressive collegiate career, Dunne has been named one of Rolling Stone’s top 20 influential creators in 2023, as well as to the Forbes 30 under 30 list. She recently starred in Amazon Prime’s The Money Game, a docu series which followed her life changing journey through the NIL landscape; bringing additional awareness to women’s sports along the way. Outside of her personal success, prior to the start of her Senior year, Dunne announced the creation of the Livvy Fund in partnership with Bayou Traditions. The Livvy Fund connects female athletes at LSU with top brands, helping them to secure NIL endorsements. Through this passion project of hers, Dunne has already helped eight of her own teammates secure endorsement deals, and hopes to foster long-lasting brand deals for her peers, ultimately leaving a lasting impact at LSU, and on the women’s sports landscape as a whole. 

Caitlin Clark – University of Iowa, Basketball ($3.1M)

Recently wrapping up one of the greatest WNBA Rookie Seasons of all-time, Iowa Hawkeyes basketball star Caitlin Clark may not be presently competing in the NCAA; but her lasting impact is undeniable. Not only did Clark break the all-time NCAA scoring record for both men’s and women’s basketball, but she also secured numerous significant NIL deals, with an estimated valuation of over $3.1 million during her time in college. In her final year at the University of Iowa, Clark ranked fourth overall among all NIL-eligible college athletes, making her one of two women to break into the top five. 

Some of Clarks most notable NIL deals include partnerships with Nike, Gatorade, State Farm, Goldman Sachs and Topps. In May 2024, shortly after the conclusion of her collegiate career, Clark signed a multi-year deal with Wilson, the official basketball of both the WNBA and NBA. Outside of her NIL success, Clark has also used her personal fame to give back. The Caitlin Clark Foundation, which was established in 2023, has a goal of uplifting and improving the lives of youth through the pillars of education, nutrition and sport. Through this foundation, Clark has already raised over $25,000 for the Coralville Community Food Pantry, and donated $35,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa. In 2024, the Foundation hosted a ‘Back-to-School Backpacks’ initiative, successfully distributing over 350 backpacks filled with school supplies to public and parochial students across the Des Moines community. 

Angel Reese – Louisiana State University, Basketball ($1.8M)

Also coming off of a record setting WNBA rookie season, former Fighting Tiger Angel Reese’s NCAA basketball days may be behind her; but her impact on the game only continues to grow. Coming out of high-school, Reese was ranked by ESPN as the #2 player in her class – and went on to play for the University of Maryland Terrapins, before transferring to LSU in her Junior year. 

Shortly after winning the National Championship in 2023, where Reese was selected as the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, it was reported by Forbes that based on SponsorUnited statistics, she held the most NIL deals out of all NCAA basketball players; both men and women. Some of her most notable NIL deals have included partnerships with Reebok, Tampax, Topps and even Amazon – the third highest valued company in the world. Now competing for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA, Reese is the most followed female basketball player on Instagram with over 3.3 million followers, bringing an unprecedented amount of eyes to the game. She’s also used her large following to establish the Angel Reese Foundation, to foster equal opportunities for young women and other underrepresented groups. The Angel Reese Foundation has a specific focus on fighting for equality in areas where girls have been historically dismissed or overlooked, including sports, education, and financial literacy. Additionally, in her mission to accelerate the growth of women’s sports and female representation in athletics, it was announced in 2024 that Reese became the first individual to officially be named as a co-owner of the DC Power Football Club; a professional women’s soccer team that competes in the USL Super League.

Flau’jae Johnson – Louisiana State University, Basketball ($1.4M)

Flau’jae Johnson has been changing the narrative surrounding female athletes since she first stepped on the court. Johnson earned MVP honors in the Jordan Brand Classic, and became the only female-athlete to compete in the Iveson Classic – all before her NCAA basketball debut. Johnson’s high-school jersey was retired after she shattered her school’s record with 1,615 career points, and was recruited to LSU. Her impact at LSU was immediate. Averaging 11 points and 5.9 rebounds per game in her freshman year, Johnson helped lead LSU to their first ever National Championship, and was named the 2022/2023 Southeastern Conference player of the year. But Johnson’s talents span far beyond the court. At just 14 years old, Johnson appeared on Season 13 of ‘America’s Got Talent’, where she performed an original song, written about the death of her father, late hip-hop star ‘Camouflauge’. She advanced to the quarterfinals that season and now, Johnson has a record deal with Jay-Z’s Roc Nation. 

When it comes to NIL, Johnson is currently ranked by On3 as the #1 women’s college basketball player and #2 female athlete overall based on NIL valuation. With NIL deals ranging from Puma to Meta – Flau’jae Johnson’s athletic talents combined with her rapping abilities brings a unique value and audience to the brand she works with.

Paige Bueckers – University of Connecticut, Basketball ($1.4M)

Yet another name that likely rings familiar, University of Connecticut combo guard Paige Bueckers has made some groundbreaking moves since the NCAA’s NIL policy implementation. With 5.1 million followers online and a current NIL valuation of $1.4 million according to On3, Bueckers currently ranks #2 in women’s college basketball and #17 overall. Originally from Minnesota, Bueckers was the countries #1 recruit, the 2019-2020 Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year, the 2019 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year and the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup MVP – all before beginning her NCAA career as a UConn Husky in 2020. In her freshman year, Bueckers earned the Wooden Award, the Naismith Trophy, AP Player of the Year and USBWA Player of the Year; leading her team in points, assists, steals and 3-point field goal percentage. 

Despite a knee injury which caused her to miss 19 games in the 2021/2022 season, and an ACL tear causing her to miss the entire 2022/2023 season; Bueckers has found great success through NIL. In 2022, she was named to both the Fortune 40 Under 40 list, and The Athletic’s College Sports 40 Under 40 list. In the same year, she also became the first winner of Sports Business Journal’s Best NIL Athlete of the Year award, after signing several major NIL endorsement deals in 2021. In 2024, Bueckers once again made NIL history when she signed a deal with Unrivaled, a 3×3 professional women’s basketball league set to have its inaugural top-off in January 2025. According to The Athletic, this deal makes Bueckers the first active NCAA athlete to have ownership stake in a professional sports league. 

Buekcers has frequently used her platform to speak out on important social issues, and has continually voiced her support for the Black Lives Matter movement. In her 2021 ESPY acceptance speech after winning the award for Best Female College Athlete, Bueckers recognized black women in the sport of basketball – calling attention to the racial disparities that exist in the media coverage and perceptions of female basketball players. In 2022, she launched the Paige Bueckers Foundation through an NIL partnership with Cash App, which aims to create opportunities and promote social justice for families and children in need. Additionally, Bueckers has hosted several free grocery pop-ups in partnership with non-profit organizations across the Minneapolis area. 

Hailey Van Lith – Texas Christian University, Basketball ($779K)

Originally from Washington, Hailey Van Lith is no stranger to the public eye both on and off the court. After being named a McDonald’s All-American in 2020, Van Lith spent her first three seasons with the University of Louisville Cardinals. In 2022, her sophomore year with the Cardinals, she led them to the Final Four – making a name for herself with four consecutive 20-point games. Van Lith continued her role at Louisville in her junior season, where she led her team to an ACC tournament runner-up finish and the Elite Eight tournament. She averaged 19.7 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, earning herself a first-team All-ACC spot for the second year in a row, and an All-America honorable mention from the Associated Press, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association and the United States Basketball Writers Association. Following the conclusion of her junior year at Louisville, Van Lith entered the NCAA transfer portal, where ESPN rated her the top transfer in the nation. In April 2023, Van Lith announced that she would be transferring to LSU. She spent her fourth season in Baton Rouge, playing alongside prominent names like Angel Reese and Flau’jae Johnson before entering the transfer portal once again in April 2024. After graduating from LSU with a Master’s degree this past summer, Van Lith transferred to Texas Christian University, where she will play the 2024/2025 season. Outside of her collegiate career, Van Lith represented the United States of America at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she helped secure the bronze medal in 3X3 women’s basketball. 

Unsurprisingly, Van Lith is no stranger to the NIL scene. Having been described as one of the most marketable women’s basketball players, Van Lith has over 1.8 million followers online. Since the NCAA legislation change in 2021, she’s successfully executed deals with brands such as Adidas, JCPenny, Apple Cash, LaCroix, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Valentino. Van Lith has utilized her financial success to support charitable and non-profit efforts, including the Louisville youth organization Family Scholar House, where she partnered with Adidas to donate over $30,000 to provide children with access to technology, and again with JCPenny, providing 20 children in Family Scholar House programs with shopping sprees. 

Juju Watkins – University of Southern California, Basketball ($576K)

University of Southern California sophomore Juju Watkins signed her first NIL contract with Nike in 2022 – while she was still a highschool student in Los Angeles. More recently in 2024, Watkins signed a multiyear extension contract with Nike, which is regarded by ESPN as one of the largest shoe deals in women’s basketball to date. Watkins also has deals with Gatorade, Celsius, Dove, AT&T and Wells Fargo. With 1.2 million followers online and an NIL valuation of $576K, Watkins currently places eighth in On3’s Women’s NIL 100 ranking.

In her NCAA debut with the USC Trojans, Watkins put up 32 points in an upset over Ohio State, breaking the USC record for points in a freshman debut. Soon after, Watkins earned her first double-double, and went on to break USC’s single game scoring record for the first time since 1989. Later that season, she would go on to be named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, All-Pac-12, and All-Defensive Team honors. After leading USC to the Elite Eight of the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Watkins broke the Division I scoring record for a freshman, and was named a first-team All-American, received the Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, and was named as the Big Ten conferences preseason player of the year. 

Following her impressive debut season, Watkins was awarded Best Breakthrough Athlete at the 2024 ESPYS, and was recently named to Sports Illustrated’s Most Influential Athletes list. Additionally, she established her own charity, Good Juju, which aims to support and give back to young basketball players from her own hometown in California. 

As of today, more than 450,000 student athletes have found financial gains through NIL activities – and this number only continues to rise. Historically undervalued, underpaid, and often excluded entirely from the profitable sports landscape, NIL has had a life changing impact on female athletes. Through these NCAA regulations, women in sport across the United States are being recognized like never before, and finally beginning to receive the credit they deserve.The seven inspiring women highlighted in this article are only the beginning.