Nebraska Volleyball Superstar Lexi Rodriguez Becomes First Female College Athlete to Sign NIL Deal With Panini America

In a landmark move for collegiate sports and gender equality, Nebraska volleyball standout, Lexi Rodriguez, has sealed an unprecedented NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deal with trading card leader, Panini America. This partnership establishes her as the first female college athlete to achieve this honor.

Panini America to Release Three Lexi Rodriguez Trading Cards

Lexi Rodriguez, the exceptional libero, has earned her reputation with back-to-back selections on the Big Ten first-team. Beyond her athletic achievements, this deal accentuates her expanding influence in the sports world. Panini America plans to release three exclusive trading cards celebrating Rodriguez’s journey and achievements.

I’m thrilled to announce I’m partnering with @PaniniAmerica as their first female NIL athlete!

My first trading card is available now here: https://t.co/jhsFciWnBi

I look forward to being a part of the Panini family as we grow opportunities for women’s sports! #WhoDoYouCollect pic.twitter.com/zBt2UjGrwu

— Lexi Rodriguez (@Alexis14Rod) October 30, 2023

Recounting her initial modest ambitions when NIL was launched, Rodriguez shared, “Just because when NIL first started my freshman year, I was just trying to get a free sweatshirt, some coupons to eat some free food. Now that my picture and name mean something to others, I think it’s really cool. I’m glad that Panini has given me this chance to grow.”

Rodriguez Wants to Inspire Young Girls

But this deal means more than personal milestones for Rodriguez. It symbolizes her vision of paving the way for future female athletes. With Panini America historically linked to top male NFL, NBA and college sports players, this collaboration heralds a positive shift towards recognizing female athletic talent.

Expressing her heartfelt desire, Rodriguez mentioned, “I want to inspire the next generation of little girls.” Even as she spearheads Nebraska’s ascent in national rankings, Rodriguez observes the increasing popularity of women’s sports.

Highlighting this trend was the recent Nebraska-Wisconsin women’s volleyball match which drew more viewers than a Nebraska football game on the same day.

Recognizing Rodriguez’s growing influence, which includes a massive social media following and associations with top-tier brands, Jason Howarth, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Athlete Relations for Panini America, commended her as a “trailblazer” and expressed excitement about their future collaborations.