Just four months after they became the first college athletes in history to grace the pages of the famed Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, a pair of LSU women are once again in the pages of SI.
And this time, they’re also on the cover.
National championship-winning basketballer Angel Reese and gymnast/social media superstar Olivia Dunne are front-and-center in the magazine thanks to a story looking at the still-coalescing landscape that is NIL deals for college athletes.
Both Dunne and Reese are already NIL poster girls, each ranking among the very top of all college athletes in endorsements.
Reese’s NIL deals have skyrocketed since the Tigers won the natty in women’s basketball this past spring, and she now holds $1.7 million in endorsements, according to On3.
Dunne meanwhile was not hampered by an injury-plagued campaign last season. Her social media virality has made her one of the most sought-after college athletes with $3.2 million in deals, a valuation that places her second among all athletes behind only Bronny James, son of NBA star LeBron James.
The October issue of SI is labeled “The Money Issue,” and will feature a story spotlighting LSU’s success in attracting NIL sponsorships for its female athletes, a reputation that certainly can’t hurt in the recruiting process going forward.