(Lebanon, Tenn. and Lincoln, Neb. – July 22, 2025) Cumberland University Athletics is excited to announce a new partnership with Opendorse to enhance its efforts surrounding Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), providing Phoenix student-athletes the tools and resources needed to build their personal brand and capitalize on new opportunities.
Opendorse is the leading NIL platform and marketplace in college athletics, helping student-athletes connect with brands, fans, and donors to monetize their name, image, and likeness. With this partnership, Cumberland student-athletes will gain access to a suite of tools through the Opendorse platform including education, compliance resources, and marketing opportunities to support NIL growth.
Cumberland University will sponsor 32 athletic programs during the 2025-26 academic year, featuring more than 800 student-athletes. This new NIL partnership represents a significant step forward in supporting the holistic development of every Phoenix student-athlete.
“I am very excited for our coaches and especially our student-athletes to partner with Opendorse,” said Ron Pavan, Vice President for Athletics at Cumberland University. “The NIL company will help us attract and retain our high-quality student-athletes.”
Through Opendorse, Cumberland athletes will have individualized profiles that allow them to showcase their brand, connect with businesses and supporters, and pursue paid opportunities while maintaining compliance with NAIA and university policies. Additionally, the partnership brings Opendorse’s comprehensive NIL education modules to campus, ensuring student-athletes are informed and prepared to navigate the evolving NIL landscape.
“Cumberland University is showing how small schools can find success in NIL by building around their local community,” said Jake Daugherty, Manager, Collegiate Partnerships at Opendorse. “This partnership will give student-athletes the tools to grow their personal brand and create real opportunities from it.”
Cumberland University becomes the latest of more than 200 collegiate programs across all divisions to team up with Opendorse. The platform currently supports over 115,000 student-athletes nationwide.
This collaboration marks another step forward in Cumberland’s commitment to student-athlete development, both on and off the field, as the university continues to equip its athletes with resources that prepare them for success in competition, the classroom, and life beyond college.
The Opendorse platform will officially go live for Cumberland athletes ahead of the 2025-26 athletic year. More details will be made available at GoCumberlandAthletics.com.
About Opendorse
Opendorse is the technology, data, and service platform powering the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) industry for colleges, collectives, consumers, and commercial partners. More than 150,000 athlete influencers use Opendorse to build, promote, and monetize their personal brands through the largest athlete media network.
