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Last Updated on September 18, 2023
If you’re familiar with the NIL space, the term “NIL Collective” likely sparks the image of donors and fans supporting Division I football or basketball players, but the 1926 Collective is flipping the script.
Located about an hour south of Lexington, Ky. is a small town that about 17,000 people call home and where Centre College is a focal point of the community. Centre is a Division III school that has 25 varsity sports, 13 of which are women’s sports, and uniquely 45% of their student body participates in one or more sports. With Centre athletics playing a large role of the local community of Danville, it makes sense that people want to help these athletes succeed on and off the playing surface.
But unlike many college collectives that focus on football and basketball, the 1926 Collective is focused on helping female athletes, which has allowed them to become the first female-focused NIL collective in DIII athletics. Focused on providing three main resources; brand partnerships, educational workshops, and community networking, the founding group of Centre alumni hope to bring opportunities to female athletes who will graduate and find careers outside of sports.
During the season opening, 1926 Centre presented its first NIL deal to senior soccer standout, Maggie Corbett. With 1,550 followers on Instagram and being from the local Lexington, KY area, Corbett was a great fit for a brand deal with a local accounting firm, Besten and Dieruf LLC.
Now a leader in the collective space, it will be exciting to see 1926 Centre create even more opportunities for both female and DIII college athletes.
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