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Brooks Running Expands NIL Program to High School Athletes

Seattle-based brand further invests in the next generation of runners.

Michael Ehrlich, Michael Ehrlich

Jun 13, 2024; Eugene, OR. USA; Victoria Rodriguez of Mercer Island-WA competes in the Girls 2000 Meter Steeplechase Championship during the Nike Outdoor Nationals - USATF U20 Championships. Rodriguez won with a time of 6:42.53.
Jun 13, 2024; Eugene, OR. USA; Victoria Rodriguez of Mercer Island-WA competes in the Girls 2000 Meter Steeplechase Championship during the Nike Outdoor Nationals - USATF U20 Championships. Rodriguez won with a time of 6:42.53. / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

The race to find the next great American runner is a popular trend among sports brands, with many investing into college NIL over the past year especially. However, Seattle-based Brooks Running is going deeper into the talent pool, partnering with high school athletes who have the opportunity to collaborate with the brand as they head into college, Olympics preparation and beyond.

Brooks has formally announced that they've expanded their NIL program to high school with the signing of five athletes: Juan Gonzalez, Victoria Rodriguez, Joe Barrett, Clemmie Lilley and Ben Crane.

"I am beyond excited and grateful to be partnered with Brooks," the cross country All-American from Brooks' home state of Washington, Rodriguez said. "The amount of support and belief they have in me is unmatched and I know they are going to help me thrive in all aspects of my running career."

The brand previously made now-Arkansas star sprinter Shawnti Jackson their first NIL signing, when she was the fastest high schooler ever. Brooks is further investing in the next generation of runners and expanding the reach of their NIL program.

"NIL is an incredibly dynamic space right now, and we see the opportunity with it evolving almost daily,' shared Brooks' Track Sports Marketing Manager, Derek Lactaoen. "At Brooks, we know that athletes have always been more than their performances, each with their own unique story to share with the world. At the collegiate level, we've seen cultural appetite continue to increase for more stories like those of the NIL athletes we work with, so we'll continue to expand there. And now, we're seeing that excitement and buzz extend into high school ranks."

A local product for Brooks, Rodriguez has an All-American finish at cross country nationals in 2024. She kicked off her 2025 indoor season with back-to-back PRs and national top-10 performances in the mile (4:49) and 1K (2:49). Rodriguez is committed to Wake Forest to continue running in college.

Gonzalez - from Nebraska's Fremont High School - is fresh off a strong cross country season that featured multiple wins and a runner-up national finish at Footlocker Nationals. The Oregon commit is poised for a successfull Spring season on the track.

Barrett is a cross country standout from Christian Brothers High School in New Jersey who is heading to North Carolina in the Fall. He recently capped off an impressive high school career dominating the distance scene and starts track season with the second fastest returning 2-mile time in the country.

Lilley is a national contender in the middle-distance space, with a 2:05 800m PR and 7th place finish at the 2024 Brooks PR Invite. The Stanford commit has opened her 2025 with an indoor mile PR and is expected to continue to make news in the mid-distance space throughout the Spring season.

Crane - committed to the reigning National Champion BYU squad next Fall - is an Illinois all-star who won a state championship, a regional victory, two All-American performances, and an XC 5K PR of 14:46.

"We're excited to officially enter the space with this amazing group of young athletes and continue to grow our investment into the sport in a way that builds on what we're already doing with other initiatives like the Brooks PR Invite, PR Challenge, and more," added Lactaoen.

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Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

Michael Ehrlich
MICHAEL EHRLICH

Michael Ehrlich is a seasoned sports marketing executive with experience across the global sports brand, athlete representation, media and education sides of the business. The Founder and CEO of Playbook Marketing, Ehrlich consults with brands on all things NIL and athlete partnerships, advises student-athletes on their personal brand building endeavors and is an adjunct professor at his alma mater, the University of Southern California where he teaches a course on athlete communications and marketing. As a writer, his previous bylines include Boardroom, Business of College Sports, DIME Magazine and UPROXX, among others. You can follow him across social media at @MichaelEhrlich and reach out via michael@playbook-marketing.com

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