New NIL Rules Open Doors for College Athletes and NOVUS

On June 30, 2021, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced the adoption of an interim name, image, and likeness (NIL) policy to be implemented July 1. With the new policy, student-athletes at all division levels are now able to take advantage of NIL opportunities that adhere to federal and state law.

This announcement was not only exciting to athletes but to custom apparel company NOVUS Clothing Company.

“Having this type of access to collegiate athletes is a whole new world,” said NOVUS CEO and creative director Garrett Bernardo. “It’s an opportunity for us to help college athletes leverage their platform in a positive light.

The company has already begun working with three Division I athletes: Syracuse men’s basketball point guard Joe Girard III, Dayton University women’s basketball shooting guard Jenna Giacone, and University of Rhode Island women’s basketball point guard Dolly Cairns. All three are capital region natives with Girard hailing from Glens Falls, Giacone from Bethlehem, and Cairns from Saratoga. 

“They are all athletes from our hometown that are playing out their collegiate careers at a high level,” Bernardo said. “We’ve partnered with them to help build up personal brands that have positive impacts on the community at their school and back home.”

The athletes will serve as NOVUS brand ambassadors, promoting the brand through social media posts, wearing NOVUS gear, and offering promotional codes. Athletes will also be able to tell their stories and give back to their community through a new initiative crafted by the NOVUS team.

“We have plans to roll out a new initiative with athletes called Hometown Crown so stay tuned!” Bernardo added.

Jenna Giacone is excited to be working with the 518 connection and hopes to positively impact her hometown.

“Using my platform, I really just want to inspire the next generation and give back to where I came from,” Giacone said. “I’m really excited to be working with NOVUS and I’m really excited with their motto, ‘Claim your crown.’ Everything that they believe in, their values, they correlate with mine.”

Dolly Cairns also hopes to build up her personal brand while helping grow NOVUS’s audience. 

“I’ll get to grow my name and help grow the company as well,” Cairns said.

Joe Girard III and NOVUS have already worked together to outfit the JG3 Shooting Stars clinic held on August 21 in Glens Falls. The NOVUS team hopes to do even more events like that.

“We are looking forward to what’s next and are excited to help them give back to the communities that shaped them into the people and athletes they are today,” Bernardo said.

You can follow the athletes' stories and join the NOVUS community on social media @novusclothingco.