Despite Stanford being Nike-sponsored program, Willis will still wear university kit during collegiate schedule, but promote New Balance outside of Division 1 season after she is brand’s first NCAA female track athlete to ink NIL deal
By Mary Albl of DyeStat
Roisin Willis’ legacy as one of the top middle-distance runners started at a New Balance national meet.
As a ninth-grader, Willis shocked the track and field world, beating Athing Mu for the 2019 New Balance Nationals Indoor 800-meter title.
As a high school senior in Stevens Point, Wis., Willis teamed with three New Balance professional athletes to run the world’s fastest indoor distance medley relay at the new TRACK at New Balance facility in Boston.
This week, Willis signed a Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deal with New Balance, becoming the first collegiate female track and field athlete to sign with the company.
“I’ve been running at their high school meets for years, obviously was part of that NB relay last year, which was a really exciting opportunity for me, and overall, I see them as a very supportive brand and a huge fan of their big athletes,” Willis said. “I’ve always worn their shoes, which is nice to be back in NB after running in Nike for a while. Everything they stand for, they are a very supportive company, is what I want to be a part of.”
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In this Thursday’s opening round of the women’s 800 at the Toyota USATF Outdoor Championships at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., Willis – a rising sophomore at Stanford University – will represent New Balance.
While Stanford is a Nike-sponsored school, Willis confirmed she’ll still wear Stanford during collegiate season and she is not turning professional.
“NIL is kind of a way for college athletes to make money and I think my deal looks a little different from others out there since New Balance is not the same brand as my university,” Willis explained. “I’ll be doing Instagram, like promotions for New Balance there, obviously wearing Stanford throughout the collegiate season, but races outside of my collegiate ones I’ll be wearing my New Balance jersey, which is really exciting.”
Willis explained this partnership has been in the works for a couple of months as she’s worked with agent Ray Flynn, who recently helped Oregon prep sprinter Mia Brahe-Pedersen from Lake Oswego High sign an NIL deal with Nike.
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