The Stride Report has confirmed that Stanford standout Cole Sprout has signed a "Name, Image and Likeness" (NIL) deal with On, a Swiss athletic and performance sportswear brand.
Sprout now joins fellow teammate Ky Robinson, as well as NCAA stars Juliette Whittaker and Olivia Markezich, as recent collegiate athletes have also signed NIL deals with On in 2023. Former Tennessee star Dylan Jacobs also decided to go pro earlier this year with On.
When asked why he chose to sign with the rapidly-rising sportswear company, Sprout explained, "There’s an attention to detail at every level at On that I think is unmatched."
Sprout has been a top name in the distance running world since his prep days. At the NCAA level, the Colorado native has collected four individual All-American honors across all three seasons of competition. The Stanford runner has also posted excellent marks of 3:56 (mile), 7:43 (3k), 13:24 (5k) and an eyebrow-raising personal best of 27:42 (10k).
The seemingly conjoined decision for both Sprout and Robinson to delay official pro contracts (and instead take NIL deals) may suggest, but certainly doesn't guarantee, that the Stanford stars will remain in the NCAA through the end of the current academic calendar.
This past summer, former Stanford teammate Charles Hicks opted to forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility and sign a pro contract.