If there’s one thing about Harper Murray, it’s that she knows how to serve up success, whether it’s on the volleyball court, in the classroom, or the wild world of NIL deals. She’s not just spiking balls—she’s spiking her brand value, too, all while balancing the madness of college life. NIL has been a real revolution for student-athletes, who now can finally toss out the amateur label while still enjoying the money they get from these NIL deals. As the year 2025 descends upon us, NIL is not going to break speed—it is going to go faster with a new set of rules, daring new partners, and ever more supervision, reshaping the world of college sports in the years to come. One of the coolest things? NIL is blending with rising industries like online gaming, entertainment, and even digital collectibles.

Picture this: college athletes teaming up with gaming platforms, making bank off social media collabs, and tapping into audiences way beyond sports fans. But with all that growth comes a need for more structure—hello, potential federal NIL policies to level the playing field. The universities are also participating, and amongst other things, they are providing athletes with the tools needed to comprehend contractual agreements, financial literacy, and branding like pros. With NIL deals and extracurriculars piling up, keeping academics in check can be a real challenge for student-athletes. Nonetheless, Harper Murray is a pro at this, showing praise to Nebraska for keeping her game sharp—both on and off the court—while dealing with all the different opportunities that NIL gives to them.

Harper Murray credits Nebraska!

Harper Murray got real about the struggle of balancing NIL opportunities and school in a video with Hurrdat Sports. “I think one of the hardest things I have to manage a little bit is the NIL opportunities I have.” She shared how she recently got to experience the Super Bowl in New Orleans—an incredible opportunity—but it came at a cost. “I miss school for it, and it’s hard to stay on top of your homework and do all that things.”

Keeping up with assignments while traveling for major events isn’t easy, and she admitted, “That’s something I always kind of catch myself slipping up on.” But thankfully, Nebraska has her back. “At the end of the day, we have the resources at Nebraska for a reason. Our academic advisers, our coaches, all those people in the academic center are there to help you.”

Time management is a challenge, even for someone as structured as Murray. “I’m also the type of person that’s very strict on my schedule, like I like to plan, so it’s frustrating, it’s hard when I can’t control everything around me.” Juggling it all—volleyball, school, NIL—can be overwhelming, but she knows she’s in good hands. “The resources at Nebraska are exactly what we need, and that’s what they’re there for.” With a strong support system, she’s making sure her game stays sharp both on and off the court.

Just last month, Harper Murray was living it up in New Orleans, catching the Super Bowl vibes and vibing to Kendrick Lamar’s halftime show—of course, she posted all the behind-the-scenes moments on the gram. But while she was soaking in the NFL energy, there was another game-changing moment brewing in her world. Murray has been rocking Adidas kicks since day one, thanks to Nebraska’s contract with the brand. Even Skyline High School, where she played before college, benefited from Adidas’ deep pockets.

But Harper Murray had a little sneaker confession—her heart was set on Avoli. “I think if I had the option to wear another shoe, I’d 100% pick Avoli.” Well, dreams do come true, because she then landed an NIL deal with Avoli. With NIL opening doors left and right, athletes are cashing in on their brand—but not everyone’s on board. Recent transfers have left a few pro coaches raising eyebrows, questioning if the system is getting a little too wild.

Are NIL deals not what the athletes need?

In December, PVF coach Amy Pauly was the first to throw her thoughts into such transfer fire. The former Northwestern volleyball star turned sports analyst had a two-penny say on X. “But what is ‘acceptable’ to some, isn’t ‘acceptable’ to others,” she wrote, dropping a line that perfectly summed up the chaos. She didn’t stop there, though. She broke it down, providing a business case: “Ex: Star player knows she can make a lot of NIL/revenue sharing $$ & have a shot at winning a title if she leaves her current school. That’s strictly a business decision.” Translation? In today’s world of college sports, “Loyalty” just ain’t quite what it used to be- it’s all about the money and transfers end up happening.

Ehman’s words weren’t just floating in the X void—in fact, they were in direct reply to Amy Pauly’s post of the same day. But here’s the twist: Amy was as much in agreement with Ehman but from another perspective. She didn’t have the “it’s just business” frame of mind. Instead, she called the situation out for what she saw it as—disappointing. “But let’s just call the last 48 hours for what it is–this isn’t about the student-athlete experience anymore & this isn’t about coaches putting the athletes first–It’s about people looking out for their best interest and finding EASY ways out.” Yikes. No mention of NIL, no sugarcoating—just pure frustration about what she saw as a system that’s lost its way.

And of course, the internet had thoughts. A user listed out the “acceptable” reasons for transferring—coaching changes, family issues. But let’s be real: no matter the reason, transfers shake up team chemistry, stir up debates, and leave everyone—from coaches to fans—wondering what the future of college sports even looks like. And this isn’t just a volleyball problem. Across NCAA, the transfer portal has become a hot topic, with people either embracing the freedom or side-eyeing the way it’s changing the game.