Wichita State shortstop uses her art, athletic ability to benefit from NIL opportunities

Wichita State senior Sydney McKinney is a student-athlete made for the era of name, image and likeness opportunties.

McKinney is a softball All-American, artist, entrepreneur, and diligent brand manager for herself. When NCAA and college administrators conceived of NIL benefits – compensating student-athletes for their talent and time – McKinney is the perfect example of the intended outcome.

“It’s like getting a job – you want to put your best foot forward,” she said. “I didn’t come to this expecting to make millions of dollars, like the boys are expecting to do. It’s wanting everybody to get to know me, wanting people to know what I’m about. Autism Speaks. Artwork. I didn’t really have to think about it. It’s more about showing people who I am and not about the money.”

Learn more about McKinney, her talents and her plans after graduation at goshockers.com.

Sydney McKinney participates in NIL activities by using her artistic talents. NCAA legislation, passed in 2021, allows student-athletes to earn money at market value for use of their name, image or likeness.

NIL at Wichita State

Wichita State University supports NIL and our student-athletes’ ability to capitalize on some of their greatest and most valuable assets. Shocker Athletics operates within an incredibly competitive landscape. Recruitment and retention of elite-performing student-athletes requires maximization of all scholarship. Additionally, given historical regional/national NIL activity, a healthy/robust market-driven NIL environment consistently contributes to positive outcomes.