For this assignment, I wanted to do a team that is very underlooked in our community. The swim team at ODU recently ranked third place at the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association Tournament in February of 2023. Which is an incredible feat to have, but has not been mentioned or celebrated anywhere on campus. Typically, if this were the football or basketball team, the knowledge would be more widespread and celebrated across campus. I also feel like when learning about name, image, and likeness, it always pertains to the same sports and you rarely hear about a lacrosse or soccer player getting these deals. This is somewhat understandable because some sports bring in more money than others. However, every athlete is contributing to the University and should be acknowledged and able to earn money. Through my research, I settled on Noah Wilkins, a senior from New Orleans, Louisiana who has a bachelor’s degree in nuclear medicine technology and is working towards a master’s in public health. 

Noah Wilkins has been on the ODU swim team since his freshman year in 2017 and ranked second place at the CCSA that same year. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, he was granted an extra two years to play for the monarchs. He would go on to place first during the 2020-2021 school year and earned the C-USA Commissioner’s Academic Medal and placed on the honor roll in the same division. At this year’s championship, Wilkins led the monarchs during the men’s 100 freestyle, earning fourth place in the competition and placing ODU in third place overall at the tournament. Alongside his history in sports. Wilkins currently works for Sentara Hospital and Hampton Roads Cardiology as a nuclear medicine technologist. He has maintained a 3.99 GPA amid all his hard work and continues to help his community here and at home.

For the restaurant I selected, I chose The Fishin Pig, a local restaurant in Norfolk, VA only nine minutes from campus, that serves a southern fusion of seafood and barbeque. The menu offers an array of sandwiches, combos, tacos, and more that share the delicacies of the south. They already do sponsorships for ODU teams and tons of the workers attend the school at the moment. With summer around the corner and the championship just completed, I think this could be a fun partnership between Wilkins and Fishin Pig. I propose two types of meals at the restaurant. Firstly is Wilkin’s freestyle, which honors one of his categories for swimming. To incorporate his hometown of New Orleans, this meal would add a cajun flare to already popular menu items. While also adding other favorites from this area like shrimp gumbo or crawfish etouffee. The freestyle could be one appetizer, an entree with sides, drink, and dessert, with all the food, offered to be a cajun version of menu items. Another meal I thought of would be a combo created by Wilkins that could be a collection of a preferred order he may have on the menu, that is named after him. For every purchase of these meals, proceeds would go to Wilkins and even a smaller portion of the money could go to the food bank he helps at in New Orleans. 

I believe Noah Wilkins has a personal brand in a few different ways. I think his desire to help his community is a good tool to initiate a NIL deal. After reading the articles, his teammates and coaches speak so highly of Wilkins and believe he is a good role model for anyone to follow. If he showcased his philanthropic work more on social media, that will appeal to a new audience and open opportunities for himself. Fishin Pig loves to highlight people in the community on their social media, so his work at food banks and the Fishin Pig’s appreciation for stellar individuals, would be the first initiation of the partnership and the meal.