Ellie Price is a junior pitcher at Bowling Green State University on the softball team.
During her time as an athlete at BGSU, Ellie has used her Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) to earn some benefits in being a college athlete. NIL is a way for athletes around the country to earn money or benefits by posting on social media about the brand that gives them the deal.
Price has been able to earn multiple NIL deals during her time at BGSU, earning five total NIL deals. One of her NIL deals with a company, Millions, has allowed Price to make her own clothing brand.
Other NIL deals involve Price posting pictures on social media of her advertising whatever brand gave her the deal.
“At Toledo, we used an app called Open Door to get out NIL deals and surprisingly I got a deal with a company in New York called Millions,” said Price. “With Millions, I have my clothing merchandise, and all of the designs have meaning behind them.”
Price began her college career at the University of Toledo. At Toledo, she spent her first season believing it would be her dream school. Price pushed her way through the recruiting process being told that she would not be a big part of the Rockets softball team. After being told this, Price continued to work as hard as she could and ended up being one of the most used players for the Toledo Rockets during the 2022 season. Price became the number two pitcher in Toledo pitching the second most innings on the team.
According to utrockets.com, Price pitched 67.2 innings and earned a 4.72 ERA during her freshman season. After the season concluded, Price felt a change had to be made after one season in Toledo. Price hit the transfer portal and found herself accepting a position at BGSU with head coach Candace Fenton-Bockbrader.
NIL deals are strictly made for college athletes. No professional athletes or coaches can obtain these contracts. NIL deals allow athletes at all levels of college athletics to earn some money on the side by representing the brand online or on the field.
Makailah Dees is an outfielder for the BGSU softball team and is the only other athlete besides Price to have an NIL deal.
The pitching coach of the BGSU softball team Erinn Gankowsky has known Price before she was ever at BGSU. Gankowsky believes that Price is more than qualified and has earned her NIL deals.
“Prior to me coming to BGSU I trained as a pitching coach and worked with Ellie when she was about 15 years old,” said Gankowsky. “Ellie has a mindset where it’s ‘I’m going to get it no matter what I’ve got to watch that develop over the years, she has a work ethic that’s just absolutely tremendous.”
In Price’s designs on her clothing, she chose to put some inspirational quotes on her merchandise. Reminding her and others to “Trust the process.”
“Trust the process came through my own recruiting process,” said Price. “I would go back and say trust the process, keep working hard, who cares what others are saying around you, I wish I trusted the process a little bit more during my recruiting just a little bit more.”
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