Name Image Likeness

WWE Reveals Latest NIL Class

Groundbreaking NIL program counts Cavinder twins, Joe Spivak and Gable Steveson as alumni

Noah Henderson

WWE Reveals Latest NIL Class
WWE Reveals Latest NIL Class /

WWE’s Next in Line is one of the country’s most robust NIL development programs and as of today is adding more athletes to their pipeline. Created in December 2021, the platform utilizes NIL to curate a diverse talent pool identifying unique college athletes who might be a fit for the WWE. 

Next in Line does not base its criteria around on-field success, rather, it looks for superstar qualities in the wrestling entertainment business. This allows exceptionally talented athletes, who may not have experienced acclaim within their university sports programs, to utilize their athletic prowess in a new medium.

The program provides athletes access to the state-of-the-art WWE Performance Center in Orlando, and development opportunities offered by the WWE, including brand building, media training, communications, live event promotion, creative writing, and community relations. Upon completing the Next in Line program, athletes have the opportunity to earn a contract with the WWE.

Notable alumni of this program include the Cavinder twins, Joe Spivak (now known in the ring as Tank Ledger), and Gable Steveson

The athletes who will be participating in the 2024 calendar year include:

Adam Berghorst – Michigan State University; Football (TE)/Baseball (RHP)

Stephen Buchanan – University of Oklahoma; Wrestling

Jeremy Cody – University of Miami; Track and Field

Desmond Coleman – Liberty University; Track and Field

Lucas Davison – University of Michigan; Wrestling

Slane Glover – Ohio State University; Cheer

Bayley Humphery – Baylor University; Acrobatics and Tumbling

Sirena Linton - University of Arkansas; Gymnastics

Darci Khan – Howard University; Track and Field

Josh Pearcy - Rice University; Football (OLB)

Skyla Schulte – Michigan State University; Gymnastics

Grace Stephens – Monmouth University; Track and Field

Kali Terza – Kennesaw State University; Track and Field

Momen Zahid – College of William and Mary; Football (DL)

This class of fourteen athletes represents thirteen different schools and seven different sports. Only eight athletes hail from Power 5 institutions, the most numerous being the Big Ten with four athletes. The Coastal Athletic Association – formerly the Colonial Athletic Association – had two student-athletes selected for the prestigious program.

The sky is the limit for the new class and college sports fans will be excited to see which of these talented athletes can ascend the ranks of the WWE enterprise in the future.

Published
Noah Henderson
NOAH HENDERSON

Professor Noah Henderson teaches in the sport management department at Loyola University Chicago. Outside the classroom, he advises companies, schools, and collectives on Name, Image, and Likeness best practices. His academic research focuses on the intersection of law, economics, and social consequences regarding college athletics, NIL, and sports gambling. Before teaching, Prof. Henderson was part of a team that amended Illinois NIL legislation and managed NIL collectives at the nation’s most prominent athletic institutions while working for industry leader Student Athlete NIL. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Economics from Saint Joseph’s University, where he was a four-year letter winner on the golf team. Prof. Henderson is a native of San Diego, California, and a former golf CIF state champion with Torrey Pines High School. Outside of athletics, he enjoys playing guitar, hanging out with dogs, and eating California burritos. You can follow him on Twitter: @NoahImgLikeness. 

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