College Sports 40 Under 40: Top young coaches, players, execs, influencers changing the game

Publish date: 2024-05-18

Three million people have watched Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman spoof “The Hangover” alongside two players on a mission to recover alternate uniforms somewhere in Las Vegas.

Cool is not usually an adjective associated with Notre Dame, one of the most storied programs in college football. But the 36-year-old Freeman has challenged that in his first eight months in charge, connecting with his players and younger Fighting Irish fans in creative ways while keeping on-field expectations as high as ever. His all-in performance for this year’s Shamrock Series uniform reveal was just another delightful reminder.

That’s why, even though he hasn’t coached a regular-season game yet, Freeman is among the headliners of The Athletic’s College Sports 40 Under 40, our first attempt to collect the industry’s fastest risers under one roof.

To assemble this list, we solicited nominations across Division I and all major sports in search of current power brokers and up-and-coming stars in their fields. The group includes head coaches, coordinators and staffers rethinking the recruiting world. It also includes athletic directors, compliance officers, leaders at NIL firms, broadcasters and people who work behind the scenes on contracts and coaching searches. Like most of college athletics, the list tilts in the direction of college football, the biggest money-maker. But we tried to broaden the scope well beyond the gridiron.

To be eligible for inclusion, individuals had to be either under the age of 40 or turning 40 before Dec. 31, 2022. Although you’ll find plenty of familiar names below, in tiebreaker cases we favored ascending leaders over more established qualified talents. Honorees are listed alphabetically within their respective job categories.

Coaches and staff

Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame head football coach | Age: 36

Players don’t always get a say in who their next head coach will be, but Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick knew he had to listen to a locker room still smarting after Brian Kelly abruptly left for LSU. And they wanted then-defensive coordinator Freeman to get the job.

“There were external factors that played a role in the players’ desire to maintain the culture first and foremost,” Swarbrick told The Athletic. “But, in addition to observing him for over a year, there was extensive interviewing that went on. His performance was compelling. He had a strong vision and an ability to articulate how he wanted the program built, what he thought was important. He had a strong sense of Notre Dame, which was interesting for a guy who had only been here a year.

“But the thing that struck me most then and strikes me every day now is, he is an unbelievably direct communicator. He tells you precisely what he thinks. He is not going to sugarcoat something or say something he doesn’t believe in. It sets him apart in many ways.”

For example, Freeman wanted to bring back the tradition of going to Mass on gameday, so he asked if he could, then did it. He doesn’t shy away from the unique aspects of Notre Dame other coaches may view as obstacles. He told Swarbrick he didn’t need to change anything “because that’s what’s going to make us great.”

“He also has an innate optimism, even when things are challenging,” Swarbrick said. “He is a fundamentally optimistic person.”

Two years ago, he was the defensive coordinator at Cincinnati. Now, he’s the head football coach at Notre Dame with the world’s eyes upon him. But those who have spent time around him say they can’t imagine anyone else better suited for success.

Todd Golden, Florida men’s basketball head coach | Age: 37

From tracking deflections to challenging conventional endgame fouling strategies to charting individual player data, Golden is a poster child for analytics in college hoops, a coach at the cutting edge of the game’s evolution. He’s also a big believer in the transfer portal as the way to win quickly in college basketball today.

Florida hired Golden on the heels of an NCAA Tournament appearance for his San Francisco Dons, who earned a No. 10 seed and lost in overtime to Murray State. The West Coast Conference to the SEC is about as big a jump as a coach can make in one offseason, but expectations are high for a quick reset in Gainesville.

Golden has worked under Auburn coach Bruce Pearl and current Washington State coach Kyle Smith, back when the latter was at Columbia.

Brian Hartline, Ohio State passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach | Age: 35

Hartline has built a case as the nation’s top recruiter while turning the Buckeyes’ receiving corps into one of the most feared units at any position in college football. Almost every commit he’s landed in his first five recruiting cycles has ranked in the top 100 of their respective classes. He has hauled in six five-star receivers since 2019, including Brandon Inniss and Carnell Tate in the upcoming 2023 class.

The two receivers he signed in ’19 even before he became the full-time receivers coach — Garrett Wilson and Jameson Williams, who eventually transferred to Alabama — both went in the top 12 picks of the 2022 NFL Draft. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is poised to become a top-10 pick in next spring’s draft, too. Head coach Ryan Day promoted Hartline to passing game coordinator this offseason.

“He played at Ohio State, and he went on to have a great career in the NFL, really maximizing his skill set when he was in the NFL,” Day told The Athletic. “Then, he wanted to get back to helping kids, and he’s got a really good knack for that. He’s very intelligent. He relates well to them. He’s got credibility and he’s become an excellent recruiter and coach. …

“Over the last few years, when you combine the quarterback situation and the production of the wide receiver room, it’s become a very, very attractive place to come. But I also think, you know, it’s also Brian’s approach: his relatability, the way he develops, the way he gets guys better. So it’s a combination of all those things. Brian’s had a huge hand in building this up in the last couple of years.”

Zach Kittley, Texas Tech offensive coordinator | Age: 31

Kittley, a 6-foot-7 former walk-on college basketball player at Abilene Christian, coached at the Football Bowl Subdivision level for the first time in 2021, directing an offense at Western Kentucky that broke the NCAA single-season record for passing yards and passing touchdowns. Auburn, Nebraska and other programs wanted to hire him last winter, but he returned home to Lubbock to lead the Texas Tech offense under new head coach Joey McGuire.

“When this is all said and done, everyone’s going to see he’s one of the brightest offensive minds in the country,” McGuire told The Athletic in the spring. “He’s extremely humble, he’s got an incredible family, he’s a coach’s kid. He understands the importance of what we’re doing, and I’m excited I’m going to be a part of it.”

Kittley got his start as a student assistant in 2013 under Kliff Kingsbury at Texas Tech, where he helped coach Patrick Mahomes. He later became the offensive coordinator at Houston Baptist, where he found quarterback Bailey Zappe, who decamped for WKU with Kittley last season and set records. Now Kittley hopes to do the same at his alma mater.

Dan Lanning, Oregon head football coach | Age: 36

Eleven years ago, high school coach/elementary school teacher Dan Lanning got in a car and drove 13 hours from Missouri to Pittsburgh to try to get on a college football staff. Now he’s the first-year head coach at Oregon, fresh off winning a national championship as Georgia’s defensive coordinator. He’s also a two-time finalist for the Broyles Award, given to the nation’s top assistant coach.

At 36, he’s the youngest head coach in the Power 5 and the third-youngest in the FBS, and he has hit the ground running in recruiting: Oregon currently has the No. 14 recruiting class in the 2023 cycle, with two five-star commits in the fold.

After rising up from the bottom of the profession, Lanning is now tasked with leading one of the most successful football programs of the past 15 years — starting with a season opener against his former boss Kirby Smart and the Bulldogs.

“Dan’s ready for this opportunity and he’s going to do a tremendous job throughout his career,” said Florida State head coach Mike Norvell, who worked with Lanning for five years at three different schools. “I’m excited for the steps ahead, because he’s one of the great guys in the profession. He leads from the heart.”

Yolett McPhee-McCuin, Ole Miss women’s basketball head coach | Age: 40

Defending national champion South Carolina is the bell cow for SEC women’s basketball, but the entire conference has elevated its product, and McPhee-McCuin has made Ole Miss a central part of that rise.

In her fourth season, she steered the Rebels to a 23-7 record and their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 15 years this spring. The first Black female head coach of Rebels women’s basketball, McPhee-McCuin has brought a new energy to the program and is one of the most personable coaches in all of college athletics.

Earlier this summer, she became the first Bahamian woman to coach with the Bahamas men’s senior national team when she served as an assistant during World Cup qualifiers.

McPhee-McCuin has built the Rebels into a factor in the SEC. (Jeff Blake / USA Today)

Lincoln Riley, USC head football coach | Age: 38

It’s hard to remember that for all he’s accomplished, Lincoln Riley is not yet 40. Riley was named Oklahoma head coach at 33 and in the next five seasons took the Sooners to three College Football Playoff semifinals, produced two Heisman Trophy winners and another finalist and won four Big 12 championships.

Then he left Norman for USC in a move that shook the college football world, becoming the first coach since 1946 to leave Oklahoma for another college job. USC is nearing a top-10 recruiting class for 2023 and heading to the Big Ten in 2024.

Few coaching moves in the history of the sport have come with more hype and expectation. Now it’s up to Riley to bring the Trojans back to the top of college football.

Jon Scheyer, Duke head men’s basketball coach | Age: 34

In prior years, Scheyer would have made this list even before he was named coach-in-waiting under Mike Krzyzewski. The former Blue Devils guard has been highly regarded ever since he started his career as an assistant at Duke in 2014. Now, he’s an obvious selection, after officially taking the reins of the program this spring.

“It’s been overwhelming, exciting and surreal,” Scheyer told The Athletic. “I made the decision three times to come to Duke — as a player, as an assistant coach and, obviously, the third one was a pretty easy answer, to become the head coach.”

Scheyer walks into the unenviable situation of replacing a Hall of Famer, but he’s uniquely prepared for the environment. He learned from Coach K as a peer in the profession for nearly a decade. He’s an ace recruiter, with four five-star commitments lined up to give Duke the top-ranked 2023 class. He’ll have to prove he can win, too — and North Carolina’s first-year head coach just took the Tar Heels to the national championship game, no pressure — but Scheyer was Duke’s choice for a reason.

“We tell our guys this all the time — I would be a fraud if I didn’t follow it myself — but you have to be present,” Scheyer said. “You can’t think about the past. You can’t think in the future. You have to think in this moment right now. I’ve always been a big believer in preparation leads to confidence. I’ve been preparing to be a head coach for a long time now.

“I’m not blind. I’m not naïve, I understand the great expectations for Duke and for our program and the challenge that’s ahead. But it’s an incredible opportunity. That’s the way that I look at it.”

Katie Turner, Florida assistant athletic director of football recruiting | Age: 28

Working under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart, Turner saw up close what it takes to land the nation’s elite football prospects. And in December 2021, she took her talents from Athens to Gainesville, hired by new head coach Billy Napier to direct Florida’s recruiting strategy. At Florida, Turner runs the show as the full-service point person for how prospective players are treated on campus and how the football program showcases itself on social media.

Napier knew how important she would be to what he’s building — Turner was his director of on-campus recruiting for two seasons at Louisiana before she went to Georgia — and has made her one of the most interesting players in college football recruiting.

It was just nine years ago when Turner volunteered to be a recruiting hostess in Tuscaloosa, and Alabama landed the No. 1 recruiting class in the country every year she worked with the program as an undergraduate student. Now, she’s an assistant AD in charge of an SEC program’s entire recruiting operation.

“I’ve always believed in myself,” Turner told The Athletic this spring. “But, sometimes, I think the coaches believe in me even more.”

Athletes

Paige Bueckers, Connecticut women’s basketball player | Age: 20

Hall of Famer Sue Bird sees the same thing fans do when they watch Bueckers play basketball: swagger. “When she hits a big shot, she’s getting hype, you can see it on her face, you can see when she flexes her little baby muscles,” Bird told The Athletic. “There’s something infectious about that when you’re a fan and watching. When a player has the talent that she has, I think people are going to want to see what she does next.”

They will have to wait a bit, as an ACL tear will sideline Bueckers for the 2022-23 season. The injury is a major hit for all of women’s college hoops. Bueckers, who has more than one million followers on Instagram, was the 2021 Naismith Player of the Year and has become the face of the dominant UConn program. Her ascension to first-name household name status has led to NIL deals with major brands such as Gatorade.

Bueckers has shown that female athletes are plenty marketable in the new NIL era — Forbes estimated this spring that she was a couple of deals away from reaching $1 million in endorsements — and her bad injury luck underscores the importance of athletes’ ability to cash in on their earning potential when they can.

Torri Huske, Stanford swimmer | Age: 19

Huske is coming off an attention-grabbing world championship meet this June in which she won an individual gold medal in the 100-meter butterfly and a bronze in the 100-meter freestyle, to go along with a gold in the medley relay and two other bronze medals in relays. She is the American record-holder in the women’s 100-meter butterfly.

Last year at the delayed Tokyo Olympics, she missed the podium in the 100 fly by one-hundredth of a second and earned a silver medal as part of the women’s medley relay team. Since then, she has joined one of the top women’s swimming programs in the country.

Huske capitalized when NIL rules changed last summer and became the first collegiate swimmer to sign a sponsorship deal with major swimwear company TYR. She is poised to become one of the faces of Team USA at the 2024 Games in Paris.

Sedona Prince, Oregon women’s basketball player | Age: 22

Prince is best known for her viral TikTok videos from March 2021 that exposed glaring inequities between the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments, spurring immediate action from the NCAA and, eventually, the hiring of an outside law firm to investigate all of the organization’s championship events for gender equity issues.

Prince has continued to fight for gender equity ever since. And as companies realized the lesson the NCAA had already learned about the power of a Prince TikTok video, she became a prominent NIL player. She will return to Oregon for her redshirt senior season this fall after averaging 9.3 points and 4.9 rebounds per game last year.

Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky men’s basketball player | Age: 22

Tshiebwe became the first Wooden Award winner to return to college since North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough in 2008. But two factors played into this decision. The first is that the NBA does not value back-to-the-basket big men the way it used to, and it was clear Tshiebwe would not be drafted as high as national players of the year typically are. The second reason? NIL opportunities.

Tshiebwe, who was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, could not maximally profit off of last summer’s rule changes at first due to red tape that left internationally born college athletes in limbo. But with the help of his agent and a startup, Tshiebwe cashed in on Kentucky’s recent trip to the Bahamas, where he was able to participate in photo shoots and merchandise signings once off U.S. soil. A source told The Athletic’s Kyle Tucker that Tshiebwe stood to make about $500,000 over the course of seven days. He is expected to earn well over $2 million this year.

Bryce Young, Alabama quarterback | Age: 21

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner could be the No. 1 pick in next year’s NFL Draft. He was also one of the early big earners from NIL. Nick Saban claimed Young had secured more than $1 million in endorsements before his first college start. That total has only grown since then, and Young will be in Dr. Pepper’s Fansville ads this fall. On the field, Alabama is No. 1 in the preseason polls once again, and Young will have a shot to join Archie Griffin as the second two-time Heisman Trophy winner.

Caleb Williams, USC quarterback | Age: 19

Williams followed Lincoln Riley to USC and could become the sport’s biggest star in the country’s second-largest media market. The former five-star signee took over as Oklahoma’s starting quarterback midway through his freshman season, finishing with 25 total touchdowns and four interceptions as a true freshman. Upon his arrival at USC, Williams landed NIL deals with Fanatics, Beats by Dre and Hawkins Way Capital, a real estate private equity fund in Beverly Hills.

Williams still has at least two years left in college football, and if he and Riley can get USC back to title contention, it could reshape the geographic power balance in the sport.

Williams has embraced his big opportunity in Los Angeles. (Kirby Lee / USA Today)

Administrators

Erin Adkins, UCLA associate athletic director of compliance | Age: 38

Adkins is well-respected in the compliance world and works closely with UCLA’s football and men’s basketball programs. She has been at UCLA since 2018 and created one of the school’s first NIL platforms. Prior to her time in Westwood, she worked in the SEC at Vanderbilt.

Adkins has also had a hand in national governance issues, serving as a member of the NCAA transfer working group that recommended the one-time transfer rule change back in 2020.

“She’s a player,” UCLA athletic director Martin Jarmond told The Athletic. “She’s the best compliance expert and rising sport AD in the country. The respect she commands from coaches and ADs around the country is a direct result from her intelligence and relationship building. I am 100 percent certain she’ll help shape the future of college athletics.”

Bryan Blair, Toledo athletic director | Age: 37

Blair became the youngest AD in the FBS when he was hired in February after serving as deputy athletic director and chief operating officer at Washington State.

Wazzu AD Pat Chun said Blair was one of the first people he hired to his senior staff when he got the job in 2018. He influenced many areas in the Washington State athletic department, from NIL efforts to the school’s relationship with Nike to coaching hires.

“He treats people so well,” Chun said. “He’s authentic and genuine, true to himself. In the four years he was with us, he was absolutely critical to the growth and development of the department.

“He’s going to be additive to the Mid-American Conference AD room, and as he continues to grow his career, his voice will only get stronger in college athletics.”

Graham Neff, Clemson athletic director | Age: 38

When Dan Radakovich left Clemson for the AD chair at Miami in December, Neff was the obvious choice to replace him, having worked in various senior leadership positions within the athletic department since 2013, most recently as deputy athletic director. Neff helped oversee the financing of more than $200 million in facility projects and served as the sport administrator for football during the Tigers’ two national championship seasons.

In his first year as AD, Neff has already made a splashy hire, prying baseball coach Eric Bakich away from Michigan, and launched the Clemson+ streaming platform. Clemson is also in the middle of launching women’s lacrosse (this fall) and women’s gymnastics (next year).

A civil engineering graduate of Georgia Tech, Neff served as a student manager for Paul Hewitt and the men’s basketball program during his undergraduate career.

Nico Yankto, Murray State athletic director | Age: 35

Yankto was still Louisiana’s deputy AD for external operations when multiple people in the industry recommended him for this list. On Aug. 15, he was named AD at Murray State, where he played quarterback from 2007 to ’09.

Louisiana AD Bryan Maggard spent seven years working with Yankto at Missouri and brought him to UL in 2017. In five years with the Ragin’ Cajuns, Yankto secured the school’s largest athletics gift in its history and helped football ticket membership jump 40 percent.

“He did a really good job elevating our brand,” Maggard said. “Obviously having a successful football team helped, but he utilized that with our marketing and communications and creative teams to elevate the Louisiana brand nationally.

“He understands college athletics very well and he’s very engaging. He’s going to be out and about in the community and will lead from the front, not behind the desk. He’s a seasoned fundraiser and knows how to raise money. … He’s as prepared as he can be to sit in the chair.”

Chris Grant, Southland Conference commissioner | Age: 40

In just four months in the top job, Grant may have already saved the conference. The Southland saw five member departures in 2021, trimmed down to just six football teams as the WAC looked to raid the league. But since Grant’s promotion from deputy commissioner, Lamar has already returned to the Southland, Incarnate Word opted not to leave, and Grant left the door open for more schools to come back. The league has 10 members (eight football members) and could add more.

“Chris did a lot of work behind the scenes that people will never know about,” said Houston Baptist athletic director Steve Moniaci. “Sitting on AD and president doorsteps waiting for a meeting, jumping in a car to drive to those spots. It was a lot of groundwork to show how important it was we kept them, he did a lot of that.”

Previously, Grant was the Pac-12’s associate commissioner of sports management and championships, overseeing eight league sports. He elevated Olympic sports, secured the women’s basketball tournament’s move to Las Vegas and added championship tournaments for women’s tennis and beach volleyball.

Zach Greenwell, Western Kentucky senior associate athletic director for communications, brand strategy and men’s basketball | Age: 33

After more than six years at WKU, Greenwell will soon take over as the associate AD of strategic communications at Louisville. In addition to overseeing the athletic department’s media relations and digital communications teams, he’ll serve as the chief communications officer for the men’s basketball program in coach Kenny Payne’s first season.

“His journalism background prior to coming to WKU enables him to always understand the media perspective while also representing the best interests of our athletes and coaches,” said WKU athletic director Todd Stewart. “He was a trusted ally of mine whose vision, professionalism, proactive thinking and strategic planning were invaluable. He has a very bright future ahead of him.”

Greenwell recently participated in the LEAD1 Institute, a professional development program designed to prepare the next generation of ADs.

Tiffini Grimes, Purdue deputy athletics director and senior woman administrator | Age: 39

Grimes knew she wanted to be a lawyer when she was 5. She had loved sports since well before that. And after finishing law school and working for the Georgia Department of Labor, she realized quickly that she needed a career that combined her two passions. She kept working while trying to find her way back into sports. She sent emails. She cold-called. Then-Kennesaw State AD Vaughn Williams was the only person to get back to her, eventually helping her land a compliance internship at Georgia Tech.

“They gave me a stipend of $1,000 a month — and I loved it,” Grimes said.

After stops at Penn State and the NCAA, Grimes was hired at Alabama, where she rose through the ranks over nearly six years, up to the role of senior deputy director of athletics/senior woman administrator and chief diversity officer by the time she left for Purdue this summer. She also worked closely with Nick Saban and the football program.

“I never thought this would be the trajectory of my career,” Grimes said. “I just wanted to do a really good job at what I was doing. But I tell people this all the time: It’s so good to have people around you who see things in you that you can’t even see in yourself. And for me, that was (Alabama AD) Greg Byrne.”

At Purdue, Grimes serves as the program administrator for football, women’s basketball and softball while overseeing other areas in the department such as academic services, business and compliance.

Ann-Marie Guglieri, Yale executive deputy director/chief operating officer | Age: 40

Guglieri has her fingerprints on every aspect of Yale’s athletic department: finance, compliance, human resources, capital projects and facilities.

“She stands out with her work ethic, her no-nonsense (attitude) and her capabilities,” Yale athletic director Vicky Chun said. “Her reputation at Yale? They call her ‘the real bulldog.’”

A three-year starter for the Syracuse field hockey team. Guglieri has quickly risen up the ranks, beginning her administration career at Dartmouth before moving to Colgate and now Yale. She chaired the NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Committee for two years, and in 2014 she received the Nell Jackson Administrator of the Year Award from Women Leaders in College Sports.

Taylor McGillis, Arkansas associate athletic director for marketing and brand development | Age: 31

McGillis oversees the Arkansas marketing team and directs the Razorbacks’ content team that has received more than a few accolades from peers for its creative (and hilarious) work. The team was just named a finalist for the Sports Business Journal’s “Best in Social Media” award.

McGillis is the one in charge of preparations for Arkansas’ important social media moments, including the video of the football stadium emitting red smoke that AD Hunter Yurachek tweeted out as he prepared to announce the hire of football coach Sam Pittman.

pic.twitter.com/EqHEdZE5SN

— Hunter Yurachek (@HunterYurachek) December 8, 2019

McGillis, a 2013 graduate of Saint Leo University in Florida, is the son of Bill McGillis, the athletic director at the University of San Diego.

Adam Neuman, chief of staff, strategy & operations and deputy general counsel at the Big Ten | Age: 32

Neuman has been there for each twist and turn of Kevin Warren’s tenure as Big Ten commissioner, but his role in the conference’s leadership team has been particularly noteworthy over the past few months, amid the stunning addition of USC and UCLA and the league’s recent record-breaking media rights deal. He is Warren’s right-hand man and a major player behind the scenes in one of the most powerful conferences in college sports.

“From the first day that I met Adam, it was clear that he had a special gift,” Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren told The Athletic. “His work ethic is incredible. He’s very, very mentally tough. He’s smart. He can handle a wide range of issues to deal with. His legal background has been incredible.

“The biggest attribute he brings to the table is that he’s a curious person. … If he can maintain that, he will be a force to be reckoned with for the next 40 years in this industry.”

Kyle Vasey, Alabama chief financial officer | Age: 30

Vasey was working as a student manager for the Arizona men’s basketball team when he caught the eye — and ear — of then-Wildcats AD Greg Byrne, who was so impressed with the accounting major that he helped identify areas in operations and analytics where Vasey could get involved.

When Byrne left for Alabama in 2017, he brought along Vasey, who was initially hired for the role of assistant AD for strategic planning but has since been promoted twice. He moved into his current role in July 2021.

“In a nutshell, it was pretty clear from the beginning that Greg wanted me to really drive analytical thinking here,” Vasey said.

This includes everything that analytics could possibly touch, from comprehensive data on fan/consumer behavior to sports performance analytics for different teams. Vasey has also managed an intern program of 20-30 total students who have worked on the athletic department’s analytics efforts.

Media

Aaron Katzman, coordinating producer, ACC Network | Age: 39

Katzman serves as the lead for all ACC Network studio efforts and was a driving force behind its launch in August 2019. The youngest of the Power 5 conference networks, ACC Network has stood out for its deep roster of young talent.

Katzman began his career at ESPN in 2005 as a production assistant and built experience ranging from golf major championship coverage to both the football and basketball versions of “College GameDay.”

He and up-and-coming ACC Network producer Claire Atkins receive rave reviews from on-air talent.

Jason Benetti, Fox Sports play-by-play announcer | Age: 38

Benetti left ESPN this summer after more than a decade with the network to join Fox, where he’ll call college football games this fall alongside Brock Huard, in addition to his work covering other sports including Major League Baseball.

Benetti, who has cerebral palsy, told The Athletic earlier this month that although he doesn’t always like to highlight his disability, it’s intertwined with who he is: “to know that I found a front-facing career while having a disability … I’m very proud of the idea that I and the people behind me made something cool out of something that by default didn’t belong on television by American standards.”

Fellow Fox Sports play-by-play broadcaster Adam Amin said what stands out most about Benetti’s work is the attention to detail.

“He has a respect for the craft, and as a fellow person of the craft, I think you recognize it right away,” Amin said. “The craft, to him, is a weaving of storytelling, great anecdotes and engaging the person next to him, making that person as good as they can possibly be and making them feel comfortable.

“This job is not rocket science. But you can treat it like it is, and I think Jason thinks about it in a very intellectual way that comes across on television.”

Andraya Carter, ESPN broadcaster | Age: 28

Carter is accumulating more high-profile assignments by the year. She works both as a sideline reporter and as an analyst, covering everything from college football and basketball to the WNBA. She will also co-host “Out of Pocket” on SEC Network this fall.

A former Tennessee basketball player, she is engaging, personable and versatile, and she’s closer in age to the players she covers than most of her peers, which allows her to bring a fresh perspective to the coverage. Her enthusiasm and work ethic have powered one of the fastest rises at ESPN in recent history.

Carter at this year’s Women’s Final Four. (Kirby Lee / USA Today)

Derek Crocker, Fox Sports vice president of collegiate sports | Age: 38

Media rights have become a story rivaling the games themselves in intrigue, and Crocker holds the keys for Fox Sports.

“He’s the boots on the ground for all matters related to game scheduling,” said Fox Sports executive VP/head of strategy and analytics Michael Mulvihill. “That’s everything from guiding the process of the college football draft and college basketball draft to picking the games for ‘Big Noon Saturday’ to finding places for Olympic sports on our networks. It’s a complicated job and I’m not sure people appreciate the complexity of the college space versus, say, the NFL.”

Crocker has spent more than 15 years at Fox Sports, seeing firsthand the company’s increased investment in college sports. At one point, he had just the No. 5 Pac-12 game pick for regional FSN. Now, he often holds the keys for the selection of the No. 1 game in the country.

“He’s incredibly thorough,” Mulvihill said. “Nothing falls through the cracks with him, and there are a lot of partners and relationships to keep track of. Being in the college space requires a lot of diplomacy. He’s very good at managing competing interests and sensitivities.”

Robbie Hummel, ESPN and Big Ten Network college basketball analyst | Age: 33

As a player at Purdue, Hummel was one of college basketball’s best interviews. As a broadcaster, he’s must-see TV. The smoothness of his transition to the booth/desk has impressed even those who expected great things.

“I was thinking about how to phrase what makes him special, and there are basically three things: kindness, humor and talent,” BTN host Mike Hall said. “His talent was evident from Day 1. … The first time we did a show together, I thought, ‘This guy’s been doing this for nine years.’

Hall says Hummel’s kindness is on display constantly; he treats cameramen, producers and interns really well. As for humor, you just need to be around Hummel for five minutes to experience that.

“He loves basketball and sees it in a very smart and serious way,” Hall said. “But he doesn’t take himself too seriously.”

NIL and business

Rachel Baker, general manager for the Duke men’s basketball team | Age: 32

Baker is Duke’s first GM, helping players enhance their brands and capitalize on NIL opportunities in a role created by new head coach Jon Scheyer.

Prior to arriving at Duke earlier this summer, she spent eight years at Nike and one season with the NBA. Scheyer said Baker is not afraid to share her evaluations and observations about prospects with the staff, and he’s glad she does. He does not want to limit her influence in any way in this new role.

“We’ve had a friendship for some time, so there was a level of trust and a relationship that was there,” Scheyer said. “She’s incredibly talented, smart and innovative. And in college basketball in 2022, there’s so much more that goes into running a program.

“There’s nobody else like her.”

Ishveen Jolly, founder and CEO of OpenSponsorship | Age: 37

OpenSponsorship is a sports marketing platform that connects brands with athletes, including about 4,000 college athletes across more than 500 schools. Some of the biggest names on the platform include Alabama quarterback Bryce Young and Alabama softball pitcher Montana Fouts. The vast majority of users sign up directly on the site, and the gender split is close to 50-50.

An Oxford graduate, Jolly launched OpenSponsorship in 2015 and jumped big into college athletics when the new NIL rules went live. Serena Williams and 76ers owner David Blitzer are among the investors from the company’s last funding round.

Jolly is one of very few women in the NIL industry and one of very few female tech founders in general. She was previously named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.

Blake Lawrence, co-founder and CEO of Opendorse | Age: 33

Lawrence’s athlete marketing company made a splash even before players were allowed to sign NIL deals, partnering with the University of Nebraska first to prepare for the changing financial environment. Now, the company partners with more than 100 college athletic departments (including more than half of the Power 5/Group of 5) as well as the NAIA, NJCAA and a handful of conferences. Opendorse’s platform helps athletes build their brands online and pairs them directly with companies that want to pay for their services.

A former University of Nebraska football player, Lawrence has also been a public source of data on the market for NIL deals. With no formal NCAA reporting mechanism, it has been otherwise difficult to find reliable information regarding trends by gender or sport. Opendorse’s numbers can help businesses and schools gauge the market.

Zach Maurides, founder and CEO of Teamworks | Age: 37

In the mid-2000s, Maurides was a Duke offensive lineman who created an app so his football coaches and teammates could distribute information better. In 2009, he founded Teamworks to turn the idea into a business.

When the pandemic hit, Teamworks became the primary form of communication for teams. The company now works with 315 Division I programs (including every Power 5 school), 27 NFL teams, 22 NHL teams, 15 MLB teams, 11 NBA teams, 10 MLS teams, and 6 English Premier League teams.

In 2020, Teamworks merged with INFLCR, one of the most popular NIL platforms for athletes, and earlier this summer Teamworks raised $50 million in Series D funding, with NBA Hall of Famer David Robinson and NFL quarterback Marcus Mariota among the investors.

McKenzie Milton, co-founder of Dreamfield, former Florida State and UCF quarterback | Age: 24

As soon as the state of Florida’s NIL law went into effect in July 2021, Milton and Miami quarterback D’Eriq King became co-founders of Dreamfield, an NIL platform to help athletes book events. It was the first such initiative directed by active players.

“It was for the athletes and by the athletes,” Milton said. “… The most important thing for me was having a say in what’s going on on the back end, are we truly taking care of the athletes with these marketing deals? We wanted to make sure they’re taken care of.”

Since his retirement from football this offseason, Milton has become more involved with the company, helping acquire partnerships with clients like Yuengling and FBC Mortgage.

His long comeback from a devastating knee injury while at UCF to start for Florida State three years later also shaped his future goals, which include opening a physical therapy and training facility in Orlando.

“People telling me I inspired them, kids reaching out going through an injury, hearing I was a motivation, makes all that hard work worth it,” Milton said.

Milton laid the groundwork for life after football in the final months of his college career. (Mark J. Rebilas / USA Today)

Searches, consulting and contracts

Kyle Bowlsby, Bowlsby Sports Advisors founder and principal | Age: 34

At a time when search firms are more popular than ever in college athletics, new faces have entered the field with fresh insight. The son of former Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby, Kyle has impressed several school officials he’s worked with in the short time his firm has been around.

Bowlsby created his own search and consulting firm in 2019 after four years overseeing the college sports division at Korn Ferry International. His firm has worked with Northwestern, Tulane and Army, and the list of searches the company has assisted includes Rice’s women’s basketball coaching opening, Idaho State’s football coaching opening, Colorado State’s men’s golf opening and Northwestern State’s AD opening.

Herb Courtney, Renaissance Search & Consulting CEO | Age: 37

A former college basketball player at Delaware and assistant coach at Binghamton from 2012 to ‘19, Courtney leads what is believed to be the nation’s only black-owned college sports search firm.

“He does a really good job with confidentiality,” an agent who has worked with Courtney told The Athletic. “He works well with both the universities and the agents and keeps people well-informed through the process. He vets people very well. He also brings a diverse component to the marketplace that doesn’t really exist.

“Some of the search firm guys get pinned doing business a certain way. They have relationships and get pinned in with certain guys and that’s all they focus on. Herb takes a much wider approach. He does the work on his own and comes up with his own judgments. … He’s doing a good job with the searches he does have, and people will take notice.”

Courtney (right) has made a positive early impression in the search firm world. (Courtesy of Herb Courtney)

Clint Dowdle, CAA coaching agent | Age: 39

Dowdle worked as a graduate assistant for Phillip Fulmer at Tennessee, with plans to become a football coach. But he quickly moved into administration, later rising to senior associate AD at Kansas State. In 2016, Creative Arts Agency hired him to expand their coaches division, and Dowdle has since become one of the most influential coaching agents working alongside college sports kingmaker Jimmy Sexton.

Dowdle helped negotiate Marcus Freeman’s promotion to head coach at Notre Dame, and his list of clients includes Oregon’s Dan Lanning, Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, Florida State’s Mike Norvell, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah and Utah State’s Blake Anderson. CAA is the biggest player in the college coaching agent world, and Dowdle has quickly moved up the ranks.

“He’s extremely trustworthy and professional and he’s very, very honest,” Anderson told The Athletic. “He’s competitive and strong and can battle with the best of them. In this business, it takes being able to have hard conversations and fight for clients, but he does it in a manner that you feel like you’re dealing with somebody you can trust. … I’ve met a lot of agents, but none of them looked at the entire picture the way he does. He wants you to connect with people in the media, people in administration, cross paths with people in the search firm world. He’s really good with crisis management.”

Anderson also specifically cited Dowdle’s help while going through his own family tragedies.

“It’s a very cutthroat environment where you have to be on your time, but I’ve seen him very compassionate, very loving, caring. ‘Hey man, screw this football stuff, how are you? How can I help you?’” Anderson said. “Gets on a plane and shows up, sends a note, makes a phone call to see how his friend is doing. That is a relationship I’m very grateful for. He’s not just my agent. He’s a very close friend that I value.”

Matt Kelly, attorney at the Kelly Law Group | Age: 37

Kelly is a major player behind the scenes in college athletics, and those who have worked with him say he’s invaluable. He’s the trusted lawyer for many high-level coaches and athletic directors, working with them on everything from employment contracts to tax strategies. Kelly also counsels universities working through major apparel deals, multimedia rights and employment agreements.

A graduate of the University of South Carolina’s law school, Kelly worked at two international law firms before forming his own in Charlotte, N.C., in 2016. Kelly said his favorite part of his work is the people, and that much of his business has grown through word of mouth. Contracts for coaches, ADs and in areas such as media rights have grown bigger and more complicated in recent years, prompting his services.

“As the industry has changed, the need for high level legal services has evolved as well.” Kelly told The Athletic.

(The Athletic illustration / Getty Images, Duke Athletics and Clemson Athletics)

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