Penn State wrestling creates new NIL staff role

Penn State wrestling is creating a new staff role devoted almost exclusively to name, image, and likeness (NIL). First reported by Ben Jones of StateCollege.com on Tuesday, Penn State has recently listed an opening for an NIL Director for Cael Sanderson and the Nittany Lions wrestling program. The brand-new role reflects the growing influence of NIL on the landscape of NCAA athletics as well as the success of the Nittany Lions’ NIL operation within college wrestling.

Penn State wrestling plans to hire NIL Director in newly created role

First reported and confirmed by Ben Jones of StateCollege.com, Penn State has created the new position of NIL Director for its wrestling program.

Per the listing on the university’s job board, which was posted four days ago, the role will largely consist of NIL fundraising. Key duties include things like providing administrative support for NIL fundraising and education, building relationships with business leaders, donors, and corporate sponsors, and collaborating with the Penn State wrestling alumni network in fundraising opportunities.

The position also entails NIL compliance tasks, such as tracking all gifts given in support of the Penn State wrestling program, helping wrestlers with career development and placement through NIL opportunities, and ensuring all activities are done under NCAA compliance.

Finally, the NIL Director will have some hand in the product the Nittany Lions send out onto the mats. The director must also assist Cael Sanderson and the Penn State wrestling staff with all aspects of recruiting, including traveling and hosting prospects.

What is the NIL landscape in wrestling?

While football and men’s basketball have been the primary benefactors of NIL and where most of the money has gone, wrestling has had a large support base for the top athletes.

Penn State wrestling superstar Carter Starocci made it known that potential suitors tried to lure him away from Happy Valley with a large NIL package this offseason. Starocci has also stated he is the highest-paid wrestler in the country, and is rumored to make $1.25 million this upcoming season while chasing an unprecedented fifth NCAA title.

Other athletes have been rumored to be earning significant money as well. 2023 NCAA Champion Andrew Alirez of Northern Colorado entered the transfer portal in early May to see if better options existed.

It was rumored that Alirez had been offered upwards of $150,000 to stay at Northern Colorado, while other blueblood programs were believed to have put anywhere from $400,000 to $500,000 on the table. Alirez ended up staying at Northern Colorado. But as with most NIL deals, the exact dollar amount he received is unclear.

With the rapidly changing landscape of college athletics, having an NIL Director to organize and keep the program on track is paramount. Penn State wrestling is one of the powers in the sport, and making sure that the program is keeping up with other major NIL players, such as Oklahoma State and Iowa, is critical to continuing the Nittany Lions’ run.

No matter how good of a coach Cael Sanderson has proven to be, as we have seen in other sports, money can talk and wound even the most dominant programs.

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