With almost continuous changes to college athletics the past few years regarding name, image and likeness (NIL) deals and the transfer portal, where does Lehigh fit into it all?
Student-athletes can profit off endorsement deals and sponsorships, although the university has opted out of revenue sharing with student-athletes along with the rest of the Patriot League and the entire Ivy League. Most Division I programs have opted in.
“Weʼve got to figure out how we can leverage our differences,ˮ Murray H. Goodman Dean of Athletics Jeremy Gibson Pʼ28 said. “Part of how we do that is the value of a Lehigh education, the value of a Lehigh degree and pipelines with alumni and creating professional connections.ˮ
As far as the transfer portal, Gibson said the athletic department hasnʼt seen much change in the number of transfers and the rate doesnʼt look “substantially differentˮ compared to the rest of the university.
Gibson said student-athletes now have five years of eligibility and that may benefit Lehigh. Student-athletes can earn their degree at Lehigh in four years, he said, and still have a year of eligibility to play somewhere else and earn more NIL money.
“These are human beings, so I donʼt want to frame it as just a conversation about student-athletes because each one of them has different motivations and goals,ˮ Gibson said.
