Sedona Prince Continues to Break Barriers, Partners With Riff on NIL Deal

The Oregon women's basketball star is teaming up with the local coffee company on a partnership much bigger than a paycheck.

Nearly a year after the NCAA approved an interim policy allowing student athletes to benefit from their names, images, and likenesses, college athletics have changed forever.

Student athletes have been earning a profit while competing in college, which is well within their right and long overdue. But the paychecks and business experience isn't all Sedona Prince is after in the NIL era. She wants to help change the world.

In her latest NIL venture, Prince has partnered with Riff as its Chief Community Officer. With this partnership, she owns equity in the company and is participating in its incentive equity program, where she learns from mentors in the entrepreneurial field like former NFL tight end and Riff ambassador Vernon Davis.

Riff is integrating the Oregon women's basketball star into its business with full access to the operating side of the growth of its brand. She will get a share of the revenue she helps generate by sending her followers to Riff's online store.

Riff CEO/Co-Founder Paul Evers & Sedona Prince

Kelsi Monroe/Riff

Evers and Prince take a selfie with Riff's Riff Energy+ carbon neutral energy drink. Prince said she learned about Riff at the University of Oregon Athlete Advisory Committee and quickly became passionate about the company's purpose and product.

"With being a partner in Riff, I’m being recognized for the value that I bring to the table," Prince told Ducks Digest. "It’s equitable and it's meaningful. I’m so energized to be a part of it."

Riff, founded in 2018 and based in Bend, Ore., is a coffee company that prides itself on "celebrating 100% of the coffee plant's agricultural value." In its infancy, Riff specialized in cold-brewed coffees before experimenting with cascara — the fruity pulp of the coffee bean that is typically discarded through coffee processing. The company found that 70% of cascara is disposed and generates methane gas equivalent to 31 billion pounds of carbon dioxide annually, according to Riff's website.

The company decided to use cascara in its new line of energy drinks called Riff Energy+ — the nation's first certified carbon neutral energy drink. With Riff's use of cascara, the demand for it grows, creating more employment and income opportunities for struggling coffee farmers while also reducing the coffee industry's contribution to the global climate crisis.

Paul Evers, CEO and Co-Founder of Riff, met Prince while on a visit to the University of Oregon to speak with students interested in business and entrepreneurship. He was familiar with her reputation of activism toward a number of causes, particularly her raising awareness of the disparities between men's and women's workout equipment at the women's NCAA tournament.

Paul Evers & Sedona Prince

Kelsi Monroe/Riff

Evers and Prince toast with Riff Energy+ energy drinks. Evers called Prince a "very humble, approachable person" and said "I don't know anybody who's more connected with more people than Sedona in meaningful ways."

The two instantly clicked upon meeting, realizing they had an alignment of values. They both want to make the world a better place. They bonded over their mutual experience in fighting for equality and breaking down barriers in their respective domains.

"Sedona Prince is a tremendous asset for Riff," Evers told Ducks Digest. "One of the things that really got us excited about her is her willingness to step up and be an advocate to challenge patriarchal systems that are just filled with bias that exclude others from having access or equity."

"I sat down next to Paul at dinner, and as soon as I met him I knew it was a special relationship," Prince said. "We talked about family and values, and from that point on, I was excited about what the future held. I know together we can do great things in the world."

Prince is no stranger to the NIL landscape, previously landing deals with brands such as Champs Sports, Eastbay, Butterfinger, and H&R Block. Her celebrity status was already assured before the NIL rule changes, but she wants to take advantage of this new era to continue making a difference.

Sedona Prince vs. Arizona State

Scott Boldt/Ducks Digest

Prince looks to pass against Arizona State. The 6-foot-7 center recently completed her second full season with the Oregon Ducks and will return for her senior season in 2022-23.

"My goal is to build a purpose-driven platform," Prince said. "I’m looking for more meaningful engagements with brands where, beyond compensation, there’s an alignment of values. Beyond just making money, we’re making a difference in the world – provoking impact and provoking change. Now, I’m able to do that with Riff, which is great."

"She's not driven by ego. She's not driven by self interest. She's driven by purpose, and that causes you to do things that are beyond something much greater than yourself," Evers said of Prince. "She's an inspiration."

Prince said that it is her responsibility to use her voice and social media to inspire others, to give a voice to the voiceless. As her time at Oregon winds down, she hopes to continue to make an impact not just on the court, but in the world as well.

"I just hope to inspire the next generation of athletes, leaders, and entrepreneurs to be authentic in their push for social change," she said. "I hope through my voice there is more equity and opportunity for those who previously weren’t afforded the same opportunities as me."

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