Skyhawks announce partnership with leading global brands to outfit student-athletes and provide unique access to adidas NIL platform
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED: "Adidas Announces Creation of Wide-Reaching NIL Network"
EASTON, Mass. (April 21, 2022) – Stonehill College has announced an innovative official brand partnership with adidas and 3STEP Sports, supporting over 500 student-athletes in 23 varsity sports, as it begins its exciting transition to NCAA Division I and the Northeast Conference (NEC) this summer.
"With our transition to NCAA Division I status in the Northeast Conference, Stonehill is excited to enter into such an impactful partnership with 3STEP Sports and adidas" said Dean O'Keefe, '94, Director of Athletics at the College. "Our teams will continue to excel in their field of play while wearing the great adidas brand, and we are equally excited by adidas' commitment to support our student-athletes with its new, first of its kind Name, Image and Likeness initiative."
Stonehill, which announced earlier this month that it will begin its NCAA Division I reclassification period and join the NEC on July 1, has been a partner with adidas since 2010 and the Skyhawks will continue to be outfitted in the brand as it transitions to full NCAA Division I membership starting in 2026-27.
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"We are thrilled to be continuing our relationship with Stonehill College," said 3STEP Head of Apparel Sales Brian Cummings. "Stonehill's ambition of reaching new heights—like its recent move to Division I in all sports—and standard of excellence perfectly aligns with our goals and mission. We can't wait to take many big steps together."
Ahead of the 50th anniversary of Title IX, adidas is furthering its commitments to accelerate inclusivity and equality in the world of sport with a focus on student-athletes. The global sports brand recently unveiled a wide-sweeping, equitable and inclusive Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) network that will be open to every eligible student-athlete at an adidas-partnered NCAA Division I programs. With the ability to reach over 50,000 student-athletes across 23 sports and 109 schools, the new NIL program will give eligible student-athletes of all genders the opportunity, directly with adidas, to become paid affiliate brand ambassadors.
Launching in four phases over the next 12 months, the network will begin with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Power-5 conference partners in Fall 2022, scaling across all schools by April 2023. adidas is committed to creating a culture of equity and fairness wherever sport is played. This initiative is only the latest chapter of the brand's ongoing 'Impossible Is Nothing' campaign, which aims to grow accessibility, celebrate inclusivity, and create a more equitable future in sport where all feel welcomed, encouraged, and supported.
"Open to all eligible student-athletes regardless of their gender, the adidas NIL network embodies our belief that sport has the power to change lives by upskilling athletes and giving them the ability to begin to experience an entrepreneurial path that will carry them beyond their college years," said Jim Murphy, adidas NCAA Program Lead, in a recent announcement by adidas. "This is not just a first-of-its kind program for the brand and industry, it goes much wider by unlocking opportunities in business and life that will enable them as student-athletes to maximize their NIL, opening the doors to future possibilities."
As Stonehill student-athletes take the field this fall, they will join the nationwide network of Division I student-athletes eligible for this unique opportunity.
Stonehill currently offers 22 varsity intercollegiate athletic programs, with its 23rd program, women's ice hockey, set to begin competition in the NCAA Division I New England Women's Collegiate Hockey Alliance for the 2022-23 season. Stonehill has won the Northeast-10 Conference Presidents' Cup six times, finishing in the top three in the final standings 15 of the last 16 years, and is one of just ten institutions nationwide to receive the NCAA Presidents' Award for Academic Achievement, recognizing athletic departments with an Academic Success rating of 90-percent or better, each of the first ten years of the program's existence.
Stonehill teams have earned 118 NCAA Tournament bids over its history, also regularly sending student-athletes to compete at the NCAA Championships in men's and women's track & field. Stonehill has won 129 NE10 Championships and 189 student-athletes have earned All-America honors over its history. Women's lacrosse has won two NCAA National Championships in 2003 and 2005, and Corey Thomas, '13 won the indoor high jump national title at the 2011 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Equestrian captured the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) Hunter Seat National Championship in 2003 and collected several individual national championships over the course of its history as well.
Stonehill will begin competition in the NEC this fall and be incorporated into NEC athletic schedules beginning with the 2022-23 seasons and participate in NEC Championships in NCAA non-automatic qualifier sports (men's and women's cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field, as well as women's swimming).
About 3Step Sports
The 3STEP reach spans 40+ states and serves more than 3.1 million athletes across eight sports through industry-leading events, nationally spanning club programs, apparel and uniforms, premier media content and more. The mission of 3STEP is to be the standard of the sports experience and create consistency in the industry.
About adidas
adidas is a global leader in the sporting goods industry. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany, the company employs more than 61,000 people across the globe and generated sales of € 21.2 billion in 2021.
About Stonehill College
Stonehill College, a Catholic institution of higher learning, was founded by the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1948. Located on the beautiful 384-acre campus and former estate of Frederick Lothrop Ames in North Easton, Massachusetts, it is a community of scholarship and faith, anchored by a belief in the inherent dignity of each person.
Through more than 100 academic programs in the liberal arts, sciences, business and pre-professional field, Stonehill College provides an education of the highest caliber that fosters critical thinking, free inquiry and the interchange of ideas for over 2,500 students.
Stonehill College educates the whole person so that each Stonehill graduate thinks, acts and leads with courage toward the creation of a more just and compassionate world.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
