WWE’s first-ever NIL class has been announced.
Hopping onto the Name, Image & Likeness game, WWE has announced a group of 15 NCAA athletes for their first ever class. The program will provide “a clear pathway from collegiate athletics to WWE.” The class is quite diverse, with athletes from four sports and 13 different schools. Here’s the class list:
- Carlos Aviles, a track & field athlete from Ohio State University
- Haley Cavinder, a basketball player from Fresno State University
- Hanna Cavinder, a basketball player from Fresno State University
- A.J. Ferrari, a wrestler from Oklahoma State University
- Lexi Gordon, a basketball player from Duke University
- Aleeya Hutchins, a track & field athlete from Wake Forest University
- John Krahn, a 7-foot, 400-pound football player from Portland State University
- Glen Logan, a football player from LSU
- Isaac Odugbesan, a football player from the University of Alabama
- Mason Parris, a wrestler from the University of Michigan
- Masai Russel, a track & field athlete from the University of Kentucky
- Jon Seaton, a football player from Elon University
- Joe Spivak, a football player from Northwestern University
- Dalton Wagner, a football player from the University of Arkansas
- Riley White, a track & field athlete from the University of Alabama
WWE continues to look to the world of college athletics to get more future superstars as they change their vision on where they find talent. They’re calling it the “Next in Line” program. WWE explained how it works for the partner athletes:
“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.”
