Fresno State basketball players Hanna and Haley Cavinder have landed a sponsorship with Boost Mobile in one of the first endorsements of college student-athletes.

With the NCAA’s updated Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rules going into effect beginning July 1, college athletes will now be able to gain endorsements, sponsorships and partnerships which were previously prevented along NIL restrictions.

Hanna and Haley Cavinder have amassed large social media followings on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Tiktok, with over 3.3 million followers on TikTok.

The Cavinder twins officially announced the sponsorship on social media with a post live from Times Square in New York City. They stand as two of the top three scorers on the championship team and have one of the largest social media followings of any NCAA athlete, a news release said.

Boost Mobile stated that its partnership with the Cavinder twins will benefit student-athletes who utilize wireless services frequently.

“College athletes work hard and have increasingly demanding schedules. They deserve the power to participate in their success and manage their personal brand, which is why Boost Mobile is embracing the NCAA’s structural changes that enable corporate sponsorship of student-athletes,” Stephen Stokols, head of Boost Mobile, said. “We are excited to begin our sponsorship program with Hanna and Haley, two elite athletes at the top of their game.” 

The company plans to continue to work with other student-athletes nationally.

For the sisters, this endorsement will be an opportunity to benefit from their names beyond the court.

Under previous NIL restrictions, the Cavinders were unable to monetize their content. With the updated rules, the two will be able to sign partnerships and brand deals using their likeness.

“Our number one goal is to excel on the court, but off the court, we love to show our creative sides and grow our relationships with the TikTok community,” Hanna Cavinder said. “Boost keeps us connected so that we can upload and share videos that have a little fun, and hopefully inspire the next generation of women to pursue their baseketball dreams.” 

“Today is a big step in empowering student-athletes like us to take charge of our future and achieve fair recognition for the hard work we put in — both on and off the court. We are excited to partner with Boost in and for their support of this big milestone, not just for us, but for student-athletes across the country — and for years to come,” Haley Cavinder said.

Fresno State is also working to support student-athletes because of new NIL rules with the continuation of the university’s partnership with Opendorse.

The Opendorse Ready program will assist Fresno State student-athletes in understanding their NIL rights and will provide “personalized and one-on-one brand development available for all Bulldog student-athletes,” Fresno State Athletics said in a news release.

The university’s athletics department was one of the first departments in California and Mountain West to join Opendorse Ready, the news release said.

Fresno State’s partnership with Opendorse will continue until 2024.