In the new age of name, image, and likeness rights, many athletes are making a name for themselves in the digital realm. Particularly, women athletes with large social media followings have taken advantage of their new rights to monetize their NILs and create a brand for themselves. Here's a list of the top female college athlete earners–give them a follow on social media to better understand NIL:

Related: Get Rich Quick: Who are the Top NIL Earners in College Sports

1. Haley and Hanna Cavinder

These twin basketball stars recently transferred to the University of Miami for their senior season. The two have amassed 4 million followers on TikTok and around 61,000 followers on Instagram. Since the NIL rules have been put in place, the pair have signed various deals with companies like Champs, Eastbay, and WWE. The former Fresno State twins came from a smaller program but were able to grow their brand thanks to social media, and their online presence has allowed them to move into the NIL space and cash in big.

2. Olivia Dunne

A current sophomore on the LSU gymnastics team, Olivia Dunne, or Livvy, as she's known on TikTok and Instagram has been thriving in the NIL space. Her 5.5 million followers on TikTok and 1.9 million followers on Instagram makes her a perfect candidate for brands to partner with. Her most fruitful partnership is with clothing brand Vuori, and she also has partnered with companies like Linktree and PlantFuel.

Related: Quick Cash or Lifelong Dividends? 4 Business and Networking Benefits of NIL

3. Paige Bueckers

Since the adoption of the NIL policies, Bueckers has made a name for herself. The UConn women's basketball star has inked deals with Gatorade, StockX, and Cash App. Her impressive 1 million followers on Instagram and 371,000 followers on TikTok shows she is able to shine on the social media front as well, and Bueckers has shown that female athletes can compete with–and even outperform–male athletes in the NIL space.

4. Hailey Van Lith

The junior guard from the University of Louisville has seen immense growth in the NIL space in a short period of time. Van Lith's 719,000 followers on Instagram, and 63,000 followers on TikTok, highlights her ability to attract sponsorships–and it shows. Recently, she signed with the marketing sport agent, Octagon for present and future NIL representation. 

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5. Zia Cooke

As a junior guard at the University of South Carolina, Cooke has left her mark in the new NIL landscape.  She was a dominant player on the national championship-winning Gamecocks team in 2022, and her massive audience on Instagram–229,000 followers to be exact–has watched her stardom expand into the NIL realm. Her biggest NIL deal to date was her headlining the $1 million “A Fair Shot” initiative with H&R Block. 

With the NIL policies being set into place it's great to see women capitalizing on the opportunity and earning money off of their names, images, and likenesses. As the NIL space continues to grow, there seems to be a significant correlation with sponsorship deals and social media followings–and as the Cavinder twins show, you don't need to go to a top-notch program to begin your NIL journey. Your social media following may be able to land you some interesting NIL deals!

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* Originally published on August 18, 2022, by Max Brown