Three million people watched Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman parody “The Hangover” with two players on a mission to retrieve alternate uniforms in Las Vegas.
Cool is not an adjective usually associated with Notre Dame, one of college football’s most storied programs. But Freeman, 36, has challenged that in his first eight months in office, connecting creatively with his players and young Fighting Irish fans while keeping expectations on the field as high as ever. His all-out performance for this year’s Shamrock Series uniform debut was just another wonderful reminder.
That’s why, even though he’s yet to coach a regular-season game, Freeman is among the headliners in The Athletic’s College Sports 40 Under 40, our first attempt to gather the industry’s fastest-risers under one roof.
To compile this list, we solicited nominations across Division I and every major sport, looking for current power brokers and future stars. The team includes coaches, coordinators and staff who are rethinking the recruiting world. It also includes athletic directors, compliance officers, NIL business leaders, broadcasters and people working behind the scenes on contracts and coaching searches. Like most college athletics, the list skews in the direction of college football, the biggest money maker. But we tried to expand the scope beyond the network.
To be eligible to enter, individuals must be under 40 years of age or at least 40 years of age by December 31, 2022. While you’ll find plenty of familiar names below, we favored up-and-coming leaders in tiebreakers over more qualified talent. Honorees are listed alphabetically within their respective job categories.
Coaches and staff
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame football coach | Age: 36 To see also : Meet the USA TODAY Sports Network preseason All-SEC football team for 2022.
Players don’t always give their word on who the next coach will be, but Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick knew he still had to listen to a locker room he had to keep an eye on after Brian Kelly suddenly left for LSU. And then they wanted Freeman to get the defensive coordinator job.
“There were external factors trying to keep the culture of the players in the first place,” Swarbrick told Athletic. “But, in addition to observing for more than a year, extensive interviews were carried out. His performance was convincing. He had a strong vision and the ability to articulate how he wanted to build the program, which he believed was important. He had a great sense of Notre Dame, which was interesting for a guy who had only been there a year.
“But what impressed me the most then and what surprises me every day today is that he is an incredibly direct communicator. He tells you exactly what he thinks. He won’t sugarcoat anything or say something he doesn’t believe. It distinguishes it in several ways.’
For example, Freeman wanted to get back into the habit of going to Mass on game day, so he asked if he could, then did it. It doesn’t take away from the unique aspects of Notre Dame that other coaches might see as obstacles. He told Swarbrick that he didn’t need to change anything “because that’s what’s going to make us great.”
“He also has an inherent optimism, even when things are challenging,” Swarbrick said. “He’s basically an optimistic person.”
Two years ago, he was Cincinnati’s defensive coordinator. Now, he’s the football coach at Notre Dame with the eyes of the world on him. But those who have spent time around him say they can’t imagine anyone else better suited for success.
Todd Golden, Florida men’s basketball coach | Age: 37
From tracking deflections, to challenging routine late-game foul strategies, to graphing individual player data, Golden is a poster boy for analytics in college hoops, a coach at the forefront of the evolution of the game. He also believes in the transfer portal as a way to win quickly in college basketball today.
Florida hired Golden after an NCAA Tournament appearance for his San Francisco Dons, a No. 10 seed and an overtime loss to Murray State. The West Coast Conference is about as big a jump as a coach can make in the offseason with the SEC, but expectations are high for a quick reset in Gainesville.
Golden has worked under Auburn coach Bruce Pearl and current Washington State coach Kyle Smith when the latter was at Columbia.
Brian Hartline, Ohio State’s tight end coordinator and wide receivers coach | Age: 35
Hartline has built a case as the nation’s top recruiter while turning the Buckeyes’ receiving corps into the most feared unit at any position in college football. Almost all of the commitments landed in the first five recruiting cycles have been ranked in the top 100 of their respective classes. Since 2019, he has taken six five-star receivers, including Brandon Inniss and Carnell Tate in the upcoming class of 2023.
The two receivers he signed in the 19th even before he became a full-time receivers coach — Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams, who eventually transferred to Alabama — both went within 12 picks of the 2022 NFL Draft. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is also poised to be a top 10 pick in next spring’s draft. Coach Ryan Day promoted Hartline to pass game coordinator this offseason.
“He played at Ohio State, and he had a great career in the NFL, maximizing his skill set when he was in the NFL,” Day told The Athletic. “Then he wanted to go back to helping the children, and he has a very good ability to do that. He is very intelligent. He relates well to them. He has gained credibility and become an excellent recruiter and coach. …
“The last few years, when you combine the quarterback situation with the production of the wide receiver room, it’s become a very, very attractive place. But I think it’s also, you know, Brian’s approach: his relationship, the way he develops, the way he makes guys better. So it’s a combination of all those things. Brian had a big hand in building this over the last two years.”
Zach Kittley, Texas Tech offensive coordinator | Age: 31
Kittley, a 6-foot-6 former Abilene Christian varsity basketball player who first coached at the Football Bowl Subdivision level in 2021, broke the NCAA single-season record for passing yards at Western Kentucky. and passing touches. Auburn, Nebraska and other programs wanted to recruit him last winter, but he returned to Lubbock to lead Texas Tech’s offense under new coach Joey McGuire.
“When it’s all said and done, everybody’s going to see that he’s one of the brightest offensive minds in the country,” McGuire told The Athletic this spring. “He is very humble, he has a great family, he is the child of a coach. He understands the importance of what we’re doing, and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Kittley started in 2013 as a student assistant under Kliff Kingsbury at Texas Tech, where he assisted coach Patrick Mahomes. He later became the offensive coordinator at Houston Baptist, where he discovered quarterback Bailey Zappe, who left with Kittley for WKU last season and set records. Now Kittley hopes to do the same at his alma mater.
Dan Lanning, Oregon football coach | Age: 36
Eleven years ago, high school coach/elementary school teacher Dan Lanning piled into a car and drove 13 hours from Missouri to Pittsburgh to try to get on a college football staff. He is now the first-year head coach at Oregon, fresh off winning a national championship as Georgia’s defensive coordinator. He is also a two-time finalist for the Broyles Award for the nation’s top assistant coach.
At 36, he’s the youngest coach in the Power 5 and the third-youngest in the FBS, and he’s on a roll in recruiting: Oregon has the 14th class in the 2023 cycle, with two five-stars. it is committed in the plea.
After rising from the bottom of his career, Lanning is tasked with leading one of the most successful football programs in the last 15 years, starting with the season opener against his former boss Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs.
“Dan is ready for this opportunity and he’s going to do a tremendous job throughout his career,” said Florida State coach Mike Norvell, who worked with Lanning for five years at three different schools. “I’m excited about the next step because he’s one of the big guys in the business. He leads from the heart.”
Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Ole Miss women’s basketball coach | Age: 40
Defending national champion South Carolina is the bell cow for SEC women’s basketball, but the entire conference has elevated its product, and McPhee-McCuin has made Ole Miss a central part of that elevation.
In his fourth season, the Rebels posted a 23-7 record and their first spring NCAA Tournament appearance in 15 years. McPhee-McCuin, the Rebels’ first black women’s basketball coach, has brought a new energy to the program and is one of the best coaches in all of college athletics.
Earlier this summer, she became the first Bahamian woman to train with the Bahamas senior men’s national team when she served as an assistant during the World Cup qualifiers.
McPhee-McCuin has made the Rebels a factor in the SEC. (Jeff Blake / USA Today)
Lincoln Riley, USC football coach | Age: 38
It’s hard to remember that for all he’s accomplished, Lincoln Riley isn’t even 40 yet. Riley was named Oklahoma’s head coach at age 33 and over the next five seasons led the Sooners to three College Football Playoff semifinals, produced two Heisman Trophy winners and another finalist. won four Big 12 championships.
Norman then left for USC in a move that shook the college football world, becoming the first coach since 1946 to leave Oklahoma for another college job. USC is approaching a top 10 recruiting class for 2023 and is headed to the Big Ten in 2024.
There have been few coaching moves in sports history with more hype and anticipation. Now it’s up to Riley to lead the Trojans to the pinnacle of college football.
Jon Scheyer, Duke men’s basketball coach | Age: 34
In previous years, Scheyer made this list even before he was named head coach under Mike Krzyzewski. The former Blue Devils guard has been highly regarded since starting his career as an assistant at Duke in 2014. Now, he’s the obvious choice after officially taking over the reins of the program this spring.
“It’s been awesome, exciting and surreal,” Scheyer told The Athletic. “I made the decision to come to Duke three times — as a player, as an assistant coach and obviously the third was a pretty easy answer, to be the coach.”
Scheyer will step into the unenviable position of replacing a Hall of Famer, but he’s prepared for the environment. He learned the trade from Coach K for almost a decade. He’s a recruiter with four five-star commitments lined up to give Duke the top class in 2023. He’ll have to prove he can win, too, and North Carolina’s first-year coach just led the Tar Heels to the national championship game without pressure, but Scheyer was Duke’s choice for a reason.
“We tell our guys this all the time — I’d be remiss if I didn’t follow it myself — but you have to be present,” Scheyer said. “You can’t think about the past. You can’t think about the future. You have to think about this moment right now. I’ve always been a big believer that preparation leads to confidence. I have been preparing to become a coach for a long time.
“I’m not blind. I’m not naive, I understand the high expectations for Duke and our program and the challenge ahead. But it is a unique opportunity. That’s how I see it.”
Katie Turner, Florida assistant athletic director for football recruiting | Age: 28
Working under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart, Turner saw firsthand what it takes to compete for the nation’s elite football. And in December 2021, he took his talent from Athens to Gainesville, hired by new coach Billy Napier to lead Florida’s recruiting strategy. At Florida, Turner runs the show in terms of how prospective players are treated on campus and how he portrays the football program on social media as a full-service person.
Napier knew how important he would be to what he’s building — Turner was his campus recruiting director for two seasons at Louisiana before moving to Georgia — and he’s made him one of the most intriguing players in college football recruiting.
It was nine years ago that Turner volunteered to be a hostess in Tuscaloosa, and Alabama landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country every year she worked with the program as an undergrad. He is now the Assistant AD, responsible for the entire recruiting operation of an SEC program.
“I’ve always believed in myself,” Turner told her this spring. “But, sometimes, I think the coaches believe in me even more.”
Athletes
Paige Bueckers, Connecticut women’s basketball player | Age: 20 This may interest you : Saturday’s Sports: Watertown Rapids look set to retain consecutive wins.
Hall of Famer Sue Bird sees the same thing fans do when they watch Bueckers play basketball: arrogance. “When he hits a big one, he’s getting bloated, you can see it in his face, you can see it when he’s flexing his little baby muscles,” Bird told The Athletic. “There’s something contagious about that when you’re a fan and you’re watching. When a player has the talent he has, I think people want to see what he does next.”
They will have to wait a while, as an ACL tear will sideline the Bueckers for the 2022-23 season. The injury is a major setback for all women’s college hoops. Bueckers, who has more than a million followers on Instagram, was the 2021 Naismith Player of the Year and has become the face of the top UConn program. His rise to first-name status has led to NIL deals with big brands like Gatorade.
Bueckers has shown that female athletes are very marketable in the new NIL era — Forbes estimated this spring that she was a couple of deals away from reaching million-dollar endorsements — and her bad injury underscores the importance of athletes’ ability to make money. their earning power when they can.
Torri Huske, Stanford swimmer | Age: 19
Huske is coming off an attention-grabbing world championship meet in June, where she won an individual gold medal in the 100m butterfly and bronze in the 100m freestyle, along with a gold relay and two others. bronze medals in relays. She is the American record holder in the women’s 100m butterfly.
At last year’s postponed Tokyo Olympics, she missed the 100 fly podium by a hundredth of a second and won the silver medal in the women’s relay team. Since then, she has become one of the premier women’s swimming programs in the country.
Husk capitalized when the NIL rules changed last summer and became the first collegiate swimmer to sign an endorsement deal with major swimwear company TYR. He is poised to be one of the faces of Team USA at the 2024 Games in Paris.
Sedona Prince, Oregon women’s basketball player | Age: 22
Prince is best known for his March 2021 viral TikTok videos that exposed stark disparities between the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, prompting immediate action by the NCAA and eventually hiring an outside law firm to investigate all of the organization’s tournament events. gender equity issues.
Since then, Prince has continued to fight for gender equality. And as companies realized the lesson the NCAA learned about the power of a Prince TikTok video, NIL became a prominent player. He will return to Oregon this fall for his redshirt senior season after averaging 9.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last year.
Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky men’s basketball player | Age: 22
Tshiebwe North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough in 2008 was the first Woodman Award winner to return to college. But two factors played a part in that decision. The first is that the NBA doesn’t value back-to-the-basket big men like it used to, and it was clear that Tshiebwe wasn’t going to be selected as highly as he usually is for national player of the year. The second reason? NIL options.
Tshiebwe, who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was initially unable to take full advantage of last summer’s rule changes due to red tape that left international-born college athletes in limbo. But with the help of his agent and a startup, Tshiebwe cashed in on Kentucky’s recent trip to the Bahamas, where he was able to participate in photo shoots and merchandise signings outside of U.S. soil. A source told The Athletic’s Kyle Tucker that Tshiebwe made about $500,000 in seven days. He is expected to earn more than $2 million this year.
Bryce Young, Alabama quarterback | Age: 21
The Heisman Trophy winner could be the first pick in next year’s NFL Draft. It was also one of NIL’s highest earners. Nick Saban said Young had over $1 million in endorsements before his first college start. The total has only grown since then, and Young will be in Dr. Pepper’s Fansville commercials this fall. On the field, Alabama is ranked No. 1 in the preseason poll once again, and Young will have a chance to join Archie Griffin as the second two-time Heisman Trophy winner.
Caleb Williams, USC quarterback | Age: 19
Williams followed Lincoln Riley to USC and could be the sport’s biggest star in the nation’s second largest media market. The former five-star recruit took over as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback midway through his freshman season, finishing with 25 total touchdowns and four interceptions as a true freshman. Upon arriving at USC, Williams secured NIL deals with Fanatics, Beats by Dre and Hawkins Way Capital, a Beverly Hills private real estate fund.
Williams still has at least two years left in college football, and if he and Riley can get USC back into title contention, he could reshape the sport’s geographic balance of power.
Williams has taken his big chance in Los Angeles. (Kirby Lee/USA Today)
Administrators
Erin Adkins, UCLA Associate Athletic Director Age: 38 This may interest you : About sport and fame.
Adkins is well-respected in the compliance world and works closely with UCLA’s football and men’s basketball programs. He has been at UCLA since 2018 and created one of the school’s first NIL platforms. Prior to Westwood, he worked in the SEC at Vanderbilt.
Adkins has also been involved in national government matters, recommending changes to the interim transfer rules in 2020 as a member of the NCAA’s transfer task force.
“He’s a player,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond told The Athletic. “He is the best AD expert in the emerging sports field in the country. The respect he commands from coaches and ADs across the country is a direct result of his intelligence and relationship building. I am 100 percent confident he will help shape the future of college athletics.”
Bryan Blair, Toledo Athletic Director | Age: 37
Blair became the youngest AD in the FBS when he was hired in February after serving as assistant athletic director and chief operating officer at Washington State.
Wazzu AD Pat Chun said Blair was one of the first people he hired for his senior staff when he got the job in 2018. He influenced many areas of the Washington State athletic department, from NIL efforts to the school’s relationship with Nike to coaching hires.
“He treats people very well,” Chun said. “He is genuine and kind, true to himself. During the four years he was with us, he was absolutely critical to the growth and development of the department.
“He will be a great addition to the Mid-American Conference AD Hall, and as his career continues to grow, his voice in college athletics will only get stronger.”
Graham Neff, Clemson Director of Athletics | Age: 38
When Dan Radakovich left Clemson for Miami’s AD chair in December, Neff was the obvious choice to replace him, having served in senior leadership positions in the athletic department since 2013, most recently as associate athletic director. Neff helped oversee the financing of more than $200 million in facilities projects and served as the athletic administrator for football during the Tigers’ two national championship seasons.
In his first year as AD, Neff has made an exciting hire, wooing baseball coach Eric Bakich away from Michigan, and launched the Clemson+ streaming platform. Clemson is also in the midst of launching women’s lacrosse (this fall) and women’s gymnastics (next year).
A civil engineering graduate of Georgia Tech, Neff served as director of students for Paul Hewitt and the men’s basketball program during his undergraduate career.
Nico Yankto, Murray State athletic director | Age: 35
Yankto was still the deputy AD for external operations in Louisiana when several people in the industry recommended him for this list. On August 15, he was named AD at Murray State, where he played quarterback from 2007 to 2009.
Louisiana AD Bryan Maggard spent seven years working with Yankto in Missouri and brought him to UL in 2017. In five years with the Ragin’ Cajuns, Yankto earned the school’s largest athletic gift in its history and helped increase the football ticket by 40 percent.
“He did a really good job of raising our brand,” Maggard said. “Obviously having a successful football team helped, but he used that with our marketing and communications and creative teams to elevate the Louisiana brand nationally.
“He understands college athletics very well and is very attractive. He will be out in the community and lead from the front, not behind the desk. He is a seasoned fundraiser and knows how to raise money. … He’s as prepared as can be to sit on the bench.”
Chris Grant, Southland Conference Commissioner | Age: 40
Just four months into the top job, Grant may have already saved the conference. The Southland saw the departure of five members in 2021, down to just six football teams in the WAC’s bid to attack the league. But since Grant’s promotion from deputy commissioner, Lamar has already returned to Southern territory, Incarnate Word chose not to leave, and Grant left the door open for more schools to return. The league has 10 members (eight soccer members) and can add more.
“Chris did a lot of work behind the scenes that people will never know about,” said Houston Baptist athletic director Steve Moniaci. “The AD and the president sitting on the porch waiting for a meeting, jumping in a car to go to those places. It was a great foundation to show how important it was to keep them, that did a lot.’
Prior to that, Grant was the Pac-12’s associate commissioner of sports management and championships, overseeing the league’s eight sports. He elevated the Olympic sports, ensured that the women’s basketball tournament went to Las Vegas, and added the women’s tennis and beach volleyball tournaments.
Zach Greenwell, Western Kentucky Senior Athletic Director for Communications, Brand Strategy and Men’s Basketball | Age: 33
After more than six years at WKU, Greenwell will soon take over as Louisville’s associate AD of strategic communications. In addition to overseeing the athletic department’s media relations and digital communications teams, he will serve as the head of communications for the men’s basketball program in head coach Kenny Payne’s first season.
“His journalism background prior to coming to WKU allows him to always understand the media’s perspective while representing the best interests of our athletes and coaches,” said WKU athletics director Todd Stewart. “He was a trusted ally of mine, whose vision, professionalism, proactive thinking and strategic planning were invaluable. He has a very bright future ahead of him.”
Greenwell recently participated in the LEAD1 Institute, a professional development program designed to prepare the next generation of ADs.
Tiffini Grimes, Purdue associate director of athletics and senior women’s administrator | Age: 39
Grimes knew she wanted to be a lawyer when she was 5 years old. Before long he loved sports. And after finishing law school and working for the Georgia Department of Labor, he quickly realized he needed a career that combined his two passions. He continued to work while trying to return to sports. He sent messages. He cold called. Then Kennesaw State AD Vaughn Williams was the only person who got back to him, and he eventually landed a compliance internship at Georgia Tech.
“They gave me a stipend of $1,000 a month, and I loved it,” Grimes said.
After stops at Penn State and the NCAA, Grimes was hired at Alabama, where she rose through the ranks in nearly six years to become the senior associate athletics director/chief women’s administrator and chief diversity officer. Purdue this summer. He also worked closely with Nick Saban and the football program.
“I never thought this would be my career path,” Grimes said. “I wanted to do a really good job at what I was doing. But I tell people this all the time: it’s so good to have people around you who see things that you can’t even see in yourself. And for me that was (Alabama AD) Greg Byrne.”
At Purdue, Grimes serves as program administrator for football, women’s basketball and softball, while overseeing other areas of the department such as academic services, business and compliance.
Ann-Marie Guglieri, Executive Vice President / Chief Operating Officer, Yale | Age: 40
Guglieri has his fingerprints on every facet of the Yale athletic department: finance, compliance, human resources, capital projects and facilities.
“He stands out with his work ethic, his no-nonsense (attitude) and his skills,” Yale athletic director Vicky Chun said. “His popularity at Yale? They call him a ‘real bulldog'”.
Three-year starter for the Syracuse field hockey team. Guglieri has risen through the ranks quickly, beginning his administrative career at Dartmouth before moving on to Colgate and now Yale. She chaired the NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Committee for two years, and in 2014 received the Nell Jackson Administrator of the Year Award from Women Leaders in College Sports.
Taylor McGillis, Arkansas associate athletics director of marketing and brand development | Age: 31
McGillis oversees Arkansas’ marketing team and leads the Razorbacks’ content team. The team was recently named a finalist for the Sports Business Journal’s “Best in Social Media” award.
McGillis is in charge of preparing for Arkansas’ big social media moments, including the video AD Hunter Yurachek tweeted of the football stadium pouring red smoke as he prepared to announce the hiring of football coach Sam Pittman.
— Hunter Yurachek (@HunterYurachek) December 8, 2019
McGillis, a 2013 graduate of Saint Leo University in Florida, is the son of University of San Diego athletic director Bill McGillis.
Adam Neuman, Chief of Staff, Strategy & operations and deputy general counsel Big Ten | Age: 32
Neuman has been on each of Kevin Warren’s tours as Big Ten commissioner, but his role on the conference’s leadership team has been particularly prominent in recent months amid the surprising additions of USC and UCLA and the league’s recent record. breach of media rights agreement. He is Warren’s right-hand man and a key player behind one of the most powerful conferences in college sports.
“From the first day I met Adam, it was clear he had a special gift,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren told The Athletic. “His work ethic is incredible. It’s very, very tough mentally. He’s smart. He is able to deal with many problems. His legal record has been incredible.
“The biggest quality he brings to the table is that he’s a curious person. … If he can maintain that, he will be a force to be reckoned with in this industry for the next 40 years.”
Kyle Vasey, Alabama CFO | Age: 30
Vasey was working as director of student affairs for Arizona’s men’s basketball team when he caught the eye and ear of then-Wildcats AD Greg Byrne, who was so impressed with the accounting major that Vasey helped identify areas of operations and analytics. participate.
When Byrne moved to Alabama in 2017, he brought along Vasey, who was initially hired for assistant AD strategic planning but has since been promoted twice. He moved to his current role in July 2021.
“In short, it was pretty clear from the beginning that Greg wanted me to really push analytical thinking here,” Vasey said.
This includes everything that analytics can touch, from extensive data on fan/consumer behavior to sports performance analysis for different teams. Vasey has also managed an internship program of 20-30 students who have worked on the athletic department’s analytics efforts.
Media
Aaron Katzman, Coordinating Producer, ACC Network | Age: 39
Katzman leads all ACC Network studio efforts and was the driving force behind its August 2019 launch. The youngest of the Power 5 conference networks, the ACC Network has been noted for its deep roster of young talent.
Katzman began his career at ESPN in 2005 as a production assistant, building experience from coverage of major golf tournaments to football and basketball versions of “College GameDay.”
He and new ACC Network producer Claire Atkins get rave reviews for the on-air talent.
Jason Benetti, Fox Sports play-by-play announcer | Age: 38
Benetti left ESPN this summer after more than a decade on the network to join Fox, where he will call college football games in the fall alongside Brock Huard, in addition to work covering other sports including Major League Baseball.
Benetti, who has cerebral palsy, told Athletic earlier this month that although he does not always like to highlight his disability, it is connected to who he is: “knowing that I found a career while I had a disability… I am very proud of me and my the people behind it with the idea that we made something cool out of something that didn’t naturally fit on television by American standards.
Fox Sports play-by-play announcer Adam Amin said what stands out most about Benetti’s work is his attention to detail.
“He has respect for the craft, and as a person in the trade, I think you recognize that right away,” Amin said. “The official, for him, is to attract the person next to him with stories, great anecdotes, to make that person as good as possible and to feel comfortable.
“This work is not rocket science. But you can treat it like it is, and I think Jason thinks in a very intellectual way that you see on TV.’
Andraya Carter, ESPN Broadcaster | Age: 28
Carter is piling up more high-profile assignments year after year. She works as a sideline reporter and analyst covering everything from college football and basketball to the WNBA. He will also present “Out of Pocket” on the SEC Network this fall.
The former Tennessee basketball player is engaging, personable and versatile, and is closer to the players he covers than most of his peers, which allows him to bring a fresh perspective to coverage. His enthusiasm and work ethic have fueled one of the fastest ascents in ESPN’s recent history.
Carter in this year’s Women’s Final Four. (Kirby Lee/USA Today)
Derek Crocker, Fox Sports vice president of college sports | Age: 38
Media rights have become a competing storyline with the games, and Crocker holds the keys to Fox Sports.
“He’s the boots on the ground for all things game programming,” Fox Sports VP/head of strategy and analytics Michael Mulvihill said. “That’s running the draft process for college football and college basketball, to picking games for ‘Big Noon Saturday,’ to finding spots for Olympic sports on our networks. It’s a complicated job and I’m not sure people appreciate the complexity of the college space versus, say, the NFL .
Crocker has spent more than 15 years at Fox Sports, seeing firsthand the company’s investment in college sports. At one point, he had just the opportunity for the 5th Pac-12 game for FSN in the region. Now, he often has the keys to picking the No. 1 game in the country.
“It’s incredibly accurate,” Mulvihill said. “Nothing falls through the cracks with him, and there are a lot of partners and relationships to keep track of. Being in the university space requires a lot of diplomacy. He is very good at managing competing interests and sensitivities.’
Robbie Hummel, ESPN and Big Ten Network college basketball analyst | Age: 33
As a player at Purdue, Hummel was one of college basketball’s best conversations. As a broadcaster, this is must-see TV. Its smooth transition to cockpit/table has surprised even those who expected big things.
“I was thinking about how to express what makes him special, and basically there are three things: kindness, humor and talent,” said BTN host Mike Hall. “His talent was evident from Day 1. … The first time we did a show together, I thought, ‘This guy’s been doing this for nine years.’
Hall says Hummel’s kindness is constantly shown; he treats cameramen, producers and interns very well. As for the humor, you have to be around Hummel for five minutes to experience it.
“He loves basketball and takes it very smart and serious,” Hall said. “But he doesn’t take himself too seriously.”
NIL and business
Rachel Baker, general manager of the Duke men’s basketball team | Age: 32
Baker is Duke’s first GM, helping players improve their marks and take advantage of NIL opportunities in a role created by new coach Jon Scheyer.
Before arriving at Duke earlier this summer, he spent eight years at Nike and one season in the NBA. Scheyer said Baker isn’t afraid to share his evaluations and notes about prospects with the staff, and he’s happy to. He does not want to limit his influence in any way in this new role.
“We’ve had a friendship for a long time, so there was a level of trust and a relationship,” Scheyer said. “He’s incredibly talented, smart and innovative. And in college basketball in 2022, there’s a lot more to running a program.
“There is no one else like him.”
Ishveen Jolly, Founder and CEO of OpenSponsorship | Age: 37
OpenSponsorship is a sports marketing platform that connects brands with athletes, including nearly 4,000 college athletes at over 500 schools. Some of the biggest names on the platform include Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Alabama softball player Montana Fouts. Most users register directly on the site, and the gender split is close to 50-50.
An Oxford graduate, Jolly launched OpenSponsorship in 2015 and jumped into college athletics when the new NIL rules came into effect. Serena Williams and 76ers owner David Blitzer are among the investors in the company’s latest funding round.
Jolly is one of the few women in the NIL industry and one of the few tech founders in general. He was previously named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
Blake Lawrence, Co-Founder and CEO of Opendorse | Age: 33
Lawrence’s athlete marketing firm made a splash even before players were allowed to sign NIL deals, partnering with the University of Nebraska first to prepare for the changing financial environment. Now, the company is involved with more than 100 collegiate athletic departments (including more than half of the Power 5/5 Teams), as well as the NAIA, NJCAA and several conferences. Opendorse’s platform helps athletes build their brands online and connects them directly with companies willing to pay for their services.
A former University of Nebraska football player, Lawrence has also been a public source of market data for NIL deals. Without a formal NCAA reporting mechanism, it has otherwise been difficult to find reliable information on trends by gender or sport. Opendorse’s numbers can help businesses and schools gauge the market.
Zach Maurides, Founder and CEO of Teamworks | Age: 37
In the mid-2000s, Maurides was a Duke offensive lineman who created an app to better share information with his football coaches and teammates. In 2009, he founded Teamworks to turn his idea into a business.
When the pandemic hit, Teamworks became the primary form of communication for teams. The company now works with 315 Division I programs (including every Power 5 school), 27 NFL teams, 22 NHL teams, 15 MLB teams, 11 NBA teams, 10 MLS teams and 6 English Premier League teams.
In 2020, Teamworks partnered with INFLCR, one of the most popular NIL platforms for athletes, and earlier this summer Teamworks raised $50 million in Series D funding from investors including NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson and NFL quarterback Marcus Mariota.
McKenzie Milton, co-founder of Dreamfield, former Florida State and UCF quarterback | Age: 24
As soon as Florida’s NIL law goes into effect in July 2021, Milton and Miami quarterback D’Eriq King became co-founders of Dreamfield, a NIL platform to help athletes book events. It was the first initiative led by active players.
“It was for athletes and for athletes,” Milton said. “… The most important thing for me was to have a say in what’s going on on the back end, are we really taking care of the athletes with these marketing deals? We wanted to make sure they’re taken care of.”
Since retiring from football this season, Milton has become more involved with the company, helping to secure partnerships with clients such as Yuengling and FBC Mortgage.
His lengthy comeback from a devastating knee injury at UCF to start three years later at Florida State also shaped his future goals, which include opening a physical therapy and training facility in Orlando.
“People telling me I inspired them, kids coming through an injury, hearing that I was a motivation, that hard work is worth it,” Milton said.
Milton laid the groundwork for life after football in the final months of his college career. (Mark J. Revilas / USA Today)
Searches, consulting and contracts
Kyle Bowlsby, Founder and Principal, Bowlsby Sports Advisors | Age: 34
In an era when search firms are more prominent than ever in college athletics, new faces have entered the field with fresh perspectives. The son of former Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby, Kyle has impressed many of the school officials he’s worked with in the short time his company has been around.
Bowlsby founded his search and consulting firm in 2019 after four years overseeing Korn Ferry International’s college sports division. His firm has worked with Northwestern, Tulane and Army, and the list of searches the firm has helped with includes Rice’s women’s basketball coaching opening, Idaho State’s football coaching opening, Colorado State’s men’s golf opening and Northwestern State’s AD opening.
Herb Courtney, Renaissance Quest & Consulting CEO | Age: 37
A former varsity basketball player at Delaware and an assistant coach at Binghamton from 2012-19, Courtney runs what is believed to be the nation’s only black-owned college sports scouting firm.
“He does a very good job with confidentiality,” an agent who has worked with Courtney told The Athletic. “He works well with both universities and stakeholders, and keeps people well informed throughout the process. He takes care of people very well. It also brings a versatile ingredient to the market that doesn’t really exist.
“Some of the guys at the search firms do business a certain way. They have relationships and they bond with certain guys and they focus on that. Herb takes a much broader view. He does the work for himself and comes up with his own opinions. … He’s doing a good job of it. with the searches it has, and people will take it into account.”
Courtney (right) has made a positive impression on the world of search firms. (Courtesy of Herb Courtney)
Clint Dowdle, CAA Coaching Agent | Age: 39
Dowdle worked as an assistant for Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee with plans to become a football coach. But he quickly moved into administration, later becoming senior associate AD at Kansas State. In 2016, he was hired by Creative Arts Agency to expand its coaching division, and Dowdle has since become one of the biggest coaching influences, working alongside college sports legend Jimmy Sexton.
Dowdle helped negotiate Marcus Freeman’s promotion to head coach at Notre Dame, and his client list includes Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, Florida State’s Mike Norvell, Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Utah State. Blake Anderson. The CAA is the biggest player in the college coaching world, and Dowdle has risen through the ranks quickly.
“He’s very reliable and professional and very, very honest,” Anderson told The Athletic. “He’s competitive and strong and can fight with the best of them. In this business, it takes being able to have tough conversations and fight for clients, but doing it in a way that makes you feel like you’re dealing with someone you trust. … I’ve met a lot of agents, but none of them had the whole picture the way he saw it. He wants to interact with people in the media, people in administration, cross paths with people in the world of search companies. He’s very good at crisis management.”
Anderson also mentioned Dowdle’s support as she navigated her family’s tragedies.
“It’s a very tight atmosphere where you have to be on your own time, but I’ve found it very compassionate, very loving, supportive. ‘Hey man, screw this football stuff, how are you? How can I help?’” Anderson said. “He gets on a plane and shows up, sends a note, makes a phone call to see how his friend is doing. It’s a relationship I’m very grateful for. He’s not just my agent. He is a close friend that I appreciate very much.’
Matt Kelly, Attorney at Kelly Law Group | Age: 37
Kelly is a major player behind college athletics, and those who have worked with him say he is indispensable. He is the trusted attorney of many top coaches and athletic directors, working with them on everything from employment contracts to tax strategies. Kelly also advises universities working through major apparel deals, media rights and employment agreements.
A graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Law, Kelly worked at two international law firms before starting her own in 2016 in Charlotte, N.C. Kelly said her favorite part of her job is the people, and a big part of her business has grown. by word of mouth Coaching, AD and media rights contracts have grown in size and complexity in recent years, boosting his services.
“As the industry has changed, so has the need for high-level legal services.” Kelly told Athletic.
(Athletic illustration/Getty Images, Duke Athletics and Clemson Athletics)
