South Carolina’s Nike era officially began July 1, and it came with a big NIL announcement. Chloe Kitts and Joyce Edwards, two standouts on Dawn Staley’s women’s basketball team, have signed on to Nike’s Blue Ribbon Elite program, joining football players LaNorris Sellers, Nyck Harbor and Dylan Stewart, who were revealed the week prior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The move lands alongside South Carolina’s new 10-year apparel agreement with Nike, which now outfits all 21 Gamecock athletic programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Blue Ribbon Elite, described as a first-of-its-kind initiative, connects roughly 80 top college athletes nationally with NIL opportunities spanning social campaigns, appearances and product development input.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Staley tied the news to her program’s legacy with the brand, referencing former Gamecock and current WNBA star A’ja Wilson, whose Nike ties have included recent sneaker initiatives like the kids’ Nike A’One launch with Foot Locker<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n