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TUFF Fund, a NIL initiative for Temple student-athletes, announces deal with over a dozen athletes from five different programs

The fund looks to use charitable initiatives meant to create NIL opportunities for Temple’s student-athletes, largely through community-based partnerships.

Temple's Khalif Battle is one of over a dozen players that will work alongside a new NIL collective designed to provide opportunities for athletes through community-based partnerships.
Temple's Khalif Battle is one of over a dozen players that will work alongside a new NIL collective designed to provide opportunities for athletes through community-based partnerships.Read moreCHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
    by Javon Edmonds
    Published 

The TUFF Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that sources name, image, and likeness opportunities for student-athletes at Temple, announced its first round of student-athlete signees Thursday morning, and the list included every eligible Temple men’s basketball player.

Those players were Khalif Battle, Shane Dezonie, Damian Dunn, Zach Hicks, Nick Jourdain, Hysier Miller, Jamille Reynolds, Deuce Roberts, Taj Thweatt, and Jahlil White.

“It’s where we are in college sports now. I think it’s good, hopefully not a distraction,” head coach Aaron McKie said. “I’m happy for those guys.”

Emmanuel Okpomo and Kur Jongkuch were ineligible for TUFF Fund deals because of their visa statuses. Ryan Sayers, a walk-on who joined the team last season, was ineligible since he isn’t a scholarship player.

“[Okpomo and Jongkuch are] not allowed to do work off-campus,” said TUFF Fund founder Andy Carl. “We’d obviously love them to represent the fund, and we wholeheartedly believe that they should be compensated like the rest of their teammates. Unfortunately, we can’t do anything about it at the moment.”

The NIL collective was founded by three Temple alumni in late August and looks to use charitable initiatives to create NIL opportunities for Temple’s student-athletes, largely through community-based partnerships. The fund’s donors have a focus on men’s basketball, but the fund also intends to sign athletes from each of Temple’s varsity teams.

“What we’re really excited about is the impact that our student-athletes will have in the community,” Carl said. “We’re excited to have a variety of different athletes from different sports and backgrounds. We’re excited to continue to grow and elevate the TUFF Fund and about the prospects of adding more donors to the fund.”

Temple linebacker Layton Jordan, who currently is fourth in the American Athletic Conference in sacks, also was signed to the fund. Other signees include women’s basketball triple-double threat Aniya Gourdine, gymnast Brooke Donabedian, men’s soccer player Sawyer Koza, and golfer Ethan Whitney.