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    College Sports

    Nike Signs No. 3 Amateur Rachel Heck as 1st NIL Golf Athlete

    • The Tennessee native won the 2021 individual NCAA national championship as a freshman.
    • Her other NIL deals include Beats by Dre, Ping, Whistle Sports, and Six Star Pro Nutrition.
    By
    May 13, 2022 | 04:11 pm
    John Meore/The Journal News

    Nike is wasting no time locking in one of women’s golf’s brightest young stars.

    Stanford’s Rachel Heck is signing with the sportswear giant to be its first NIL golf athlete, she announced on her social pages.

    Heck’s other NIL deals include Beats by Dre, Ping, Whistle Sports, and Six Star Pro Nutrition.

    The Tennessee native won the 2021 individual NCAA national championship as a freshman after shooting an 8-under 280 after 72 holes last May. She ranks third in World Amateur Golf Rankings.

    Heck failed to qualify for the 2022 individual championship, but she and her Stanford teammates will compete for the team title starting May 20.

    Nike isn’t the only recent athletic apparel brand to test the NIL waters.

    Lululemon made former NBA player J.R. Smith its first male college endorser back in April.

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