Cullowhee, N.C. – Led and backed by noteworthy supporters of Catamount Athletics, The Cullowhee Collective – the premier and official Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) collective of Western Carolina University – officially launched this summer. The collective connects the fans, alumni, and businesses with Catamount student-athletes looking to further their professional and personal development.
 
The landscape of college athletics was fundamentally altered in 2021 with the institution of Name, Image, and Likeness rules. A NIL activity occurs when a student-athlete is compensated for using his or her name, image, or likeness. Activities range from sponsored social media posts and endorsed digital content to operating a camp or autograph appearances and apparel sales. If you want to support student-athletes in NIL but do not have a particular activity for the student-athlete to participate in, collaborating with a collective is a good avenue to explore.
 
NIL collectives work with program supporters to raise money and provide NIL activities for Catamount student-athletes in helping provide the best student-athlete experience. Through the Collective, supporters can directly impact WCU's ability to recruit and retain top talent. The goal of the Cullowhee Collective is to have all funds go to the student-athletes, minus the required expenses.
 
Founders of The Cullowhee Collective and serving as its Board of Directors are five Western Carolina alum Mike Crawford (WCU, '87), Nathan Earwood (WCU, '00), Kevin Stanberry (WCU, '94), Mike Wade (WCU, '77), and Eddie Wells (WCU, '03).
 
"The Cullowhee Collective is a resource that allows our Catamount student-athletes to realize financial gain for themselves while continuing their service as ambassadors in our community," said Alex Gary, Western Carolina Athletic Director. "Your contributions to the collective help meet the expectations of today's student-athletes and provide them with a first-class experience right here in Cullowhee. I invite all of Catamount Nation to consider supporting The Cullowhee Collective and allow both current and future Catamounts to have a modern Division I experience."
 
To learn more about or to support The Cullowhee Collective, visit www.CullowheeCollective.com.
 
Catamount Nation can also continue to support Western Carolina Athletics by joining the Catamount Club which fundraises scholarships for WCU's student-athletes. For more information or to join, visit www.CatamountSports.com/catamountclub or call (828) 227-3047.