Cool Runner: Virginia RB Xavier Brown Signs NIL Deal With True Blue Pools

photo cred: Sports Illustrated

Virginia Running Back Xavier Brown signed an NIL deal with Lexington Kentucky based True Blue Pools. Brown is from Lexington Ky where he was named to the Herald Leader All City in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and named third team All-State by The Courier Journal and All BluegrassPreps.com Team in 2020.

After being out for a month in 2023 with a dislocated elbow, Brown averaged 4.2 yards per carry last year while having a limited role in a crowded Cavaliers backfield. Now featured in the backfield along with senior Koby Pace, Brown should see an uptick in production this coming fall.

See the clip below for a taste of what's to come from Brown next year:

Best In The Country: Sophomore CX Runner Addy Ritzenhein Signs NIL Deal With On Running

photo cred: @djritzenhein / Twitter / X

Addy Ritzenhein was born to excel at many things and running is one of them. Named the Gatorade 2023-2024 "National Girls Cross Country "Player of the Year" , On Running signed the Niwot HS sophomore to an NIL Deal as reported by FloTrack. This marks the first time On Running has signed a HS athlete to an NIL deal.

In an interview with Milesplit, Ritzenhein spoke on why she chose to partner with On Running and said " They made it feel like family honestly it was a pretty simple answer". Ritzenhein added "They make it very inclusive, I know they care about their athletes so much and that really stands out to me". Last fall, Ritzenhein won seven of eight races, including the 4A Colorado State Cross Country Championships, and the 2023 Nike Cross National Championship.

Ritzenhein is the daughter of three-time Olympian and former 5,000 American Record holder, Dathan Ritzenhein, and two-time Foot Locker Nationals finalist Kalin Ritzenhein (formally Toedebusch.)

Unstoppable Force: Michigan State Edge Jalen Thompson Partners With Xenith Football

photo cred: @_4jalen / X / Twitter

Big things are happening for Jalen Thompson. Named the #1 Freshman Edge in the Big Ten and the #2 Freshman Edge in the NCAA, Thompson is poised to have a stellar Sophomore campaign in 2024. Along with the accolades, Xenith Football has partnered with Thompson on an NIL deal that will consist of a custom designed Xenith apparel line inspired by Jalen Thompson, an affiliate code for use on Xenith.com, plus Thompson will work collaboratively with both of our marketing and product teams to provide valuable player feedback and insight from the field.

"We're very excited to work with Jalen," Kyle Lamson, Director of Product Development for Xenith, explained. "By tapping into his experiences on the field, we have the opportunity to learn more about what players are looking for in their football equipment. Plus, Jalen’s invaluable insight will play an important role in the advancement of Xenith gear in the future."

“This partnership is unique because we’re actually inviting Jalen to join our team, offer his own input, and get a 'behind the scenes' look at how our marketing team runs and operates,” said Joshua DeOrnellas, Director of Marketing for Xenith. “We believe this is a fresh take on NIL partnerships,” he continued. “By providing young athletes the opportunity to gain experience in a professional work environment, our aim is not only to set them up for success as they begin their college careers, but also inspire and sharpen the skills they will inevitably use for the rest of their professional careers as well.”

If you're not familiar with Jalen Thompson's body of work this past year at Michigan State, peep the vid below: