Cavinder Twins Reveal How NIL Transformed Their Social Media Presence

Former college basketball stars Haley and Hanna Cavinder discuss the impact of NIL on their careers and future plans.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 6:11pm

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Haley and Hanna Cavinder, former college basketball players at Fresno State and Miami, have become trailblazers in maximizing NIL (name, image, and likeness) opportunities. In a recent podcast with Stephanie McMahon, the 25-year-old twins opened up about how NIL has shaped their social media presence and future entrepreneurial endeavors, including signing with WWE's NIL program and securing endorsement deals with major brands.

Why it matters

The Cavinder twins' experience highlights how NIL has revolutionized the landscape for female college athletes, allowing them to build personal brands, gain financial opportunities, and set themselves up for success after graduation - something that was previously unheard of, especially in women's basketball.

The details

Haley Cavinder emphasized that NIL has been 'so huge' for female college athletes, as the majority do not go pro, making it crucial to learn business and entrepreneurial skills during their time in school. Hanna Cavinder stressed the importance of building a strong team and securing equity deals to sustain their success after graduation. The twins have capitalized on their NIL opportunities, signing with WWE's NIL program and landing endorsement deals with brands like Champs Sports, SoFi, and Under Armour.

  • The Cavinder twins first signed with WWE's NIL program in 2021.
  • They were named brand ambassadors for Under Armour in July 2024.
  • The twins are part of MGM's Final Four advertising this weekend in Las Vegas.

The players

Haley Cavinder

Former college basketball player at Fresno State and Miami, who has become a trailblazer in maximizing NIL opportunities.

Hanna Cavinder

Former college basketball player at Fresno State and Miami, who has become a trailblazer in maximizing NIL opportunities alongside her twin sister, Haley.

Stephanie McMahon

Former WWE executive and daughter of WWE co-founder Vince McMahon, who interviewed the Cavinder twins on her podcast 'What's Your Story? with Steph McMahon'.

Livvy Dunne

Former LSU gymnast-turned-content creator who started an educational program for female collegiate athletes to learn about maximizing their NIL opportunities.

Isaac Odugbesan (Oba Femi)

One of the signings from WWE's NIL program, who is making his WrestleMania debut against Brock Lesnar.

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What they’re saying

“I think nowadays, name, image and likeness for female athletes in college has been so huge. Because even in women's basketball, there's such a limited percentage of you going pro. … So being able to learn about the networking and the name of the game in college for females has been good to see. The younger generation can (learn how) you can maximize your name, image and likeness in college and kind of profit off that, and then learn your entrepreneurial skills and business skills for the future when you graduate.”

— Haley Cavinder

“And you can set yourself up right afterwards too. … How you continue it, because everybody's always like, 'What's next?' And I think it's really important to have a team (around you). We have a great agency that we've been with for five years and they're very big on getting us equity within deals, having us start our own brands, and being very creative within those brands. So I think that's really important too, and it's amazing that Livvy is doing that too.”

— Hanna Cavinder

What’s next

The Cavinder twins will continue to build their personal brands and entrepreneurial ventures, leveraging their NIL opportunities and the support of their agency. They will also likely remain involved with WWE's NIL program, potentially leading to future opportunities in professional wrestling.

The takeaway

The Cavinder twins' success in maximizing their NIL opportunities serves as a powerful example of how female college athletes can now build personal brands, gain financial security, and set themselves up for long-term success - a significant shift from the previous landscape for women's sports.