Next Level Prep Expands to Northwestern University in Collaboration with Twin Bridge Sports

Next Level Prep launches at Northwestern, giving athletes a platform to showcase their stories, develop their personal brands, and inspire the next generation.

EVANSTON, IL, UNITED STATES, March 27, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Northwestern University athletes recently participated in an innovative NIL initiative called Next Level Prep, created by Twin Bridge Sports to highlight student-athletes' authentic voices and enhance their personal branding. The program goes beyond traditional NIL activities by creating a dedicated space for athletes to share their experiences, motivate younger generations, and establish a foundation for their post-collegiate success.

This activation of the Next Level Prep campaign involved 18 student-athletes across 12 sports, each participating in comprehensive on-camera interview sessions that explore the pivotal moments and challenges that defined their journeys to Northwestern's Division I programs. The program's unique approach pairs professional production quality with authentic storytelling, creating content that resonates with both younger athletes and potential brand partners.

Northwestern's Director of NIL, Brad Bauer, commented on the program's value: "We are pleased to have collaborated with Twin Bridge Sports & Next Level Prep to facilitate NIL opportunities for Northwestern student-athletes. This collaboration provides another avenue for our student-athletes to engage in valuable partnerships and hopefully showcases what makes Northwestern student-athletes unique."

Many participants discovered that this particular NIL opportunity extended far beyond monetary compensation—it’s about leaving a lasting impact. Next Level Prep creates a pathway for student-athletes to transmit their wisdom and experiences, guiding the next wave of collegiate athletes. Amanda Pirkowski (Fencing) expressed the significance of mentorship: "Being looked up to as a role model is super special. I know when I went to fencing camps and saw D-I athletes or Olympians helping me, it was always so special and I felt like I just wanted to grasp every bit of knowledge that I could from them."

Kennedy Roesch (Soccer) shared her perspective on creating a lasting impression: "There is so much opportunity for our voices to be heard and for us to connect with people and inspire the next generation... you could have all the goals you ever want, score so many goals, and win so many games, but at the end of the day, what is your impact and legacy that you are leaving on these people that you've come in contact with?"

Twin Bridge Sports continues to broaden its influence in collegiate athletics by offering students a comprehensive platform to document their athletic journeys, enhance their personal brands, and connect with younger athletes through genuine storytelling. Evan Waldman, Twin Bridge Sports Co-Founder, discussed how the program helps athletes distinguish themselves: "Each athlete brings a unique perspective worthy of attention, and Next Level Prep provides the ideal framework for sharing these stories in meaningful ways."

Justin Waldman, also Co-Founder of Twin Bridge Sports, emphasized that the initiative transcends simple exposure: "These stories empower athletes to shape their own narratives, contribute to the development of future student-athletes, and amplify their personal brands in this evolving NIL era."

Northwestern athletes also recognize the importance of education in the evolving NIL landscape. Albert Kunickis III (Football) highlighted the balancing act of academics and athletics: "I balance academics with football by honestly just taking it one day at a time. I'm majoring in mechanical engineering here, so it's pretty difficult to balance football and engineering at the same time, but I manage to do it by taking it one day at a time."

Beyond individual brand building, Next Level Prep serves as a powerful recruitment tool for Northwestern athletics. By showcasing authentic stories from current student-athletes about their experiences, the content provides prospective recruits with valuable insights into Northwestern's unique fusion of top-tier athletics and academics. As competition for top talent intensifies nationwide, these personal narratives help differentiate Northwestern and connect with recruits on a more meaningful level than traditional recruitment materials.

Alexa Rousseau (Volleyball) stressed the importance of thorough communication during recruitment: "Never be afraid to ask too many questions because there's no such thing. If you can come up with some ideas of things that are really important to you. Whether it's a family aspect, whether it's location, whether it's a degree... Just as much as they want you, you're also going to need to know that that's the school that you want to be at, too."

Full interviews from Next Level Prep are available on the Next Level Prep YouTube channel, while remixed highlights from the project are featured on Twin Bridge Sports’ Instagram and TikTok.

As Next Level Prep expands to more schools, it remains dedicated to providing student-athletes with a platform to reflect on and share their greatest asset—their stories.

For more information about Next Level Prep and Twin Bridge Sports, contact info@twinbridgesports.com.

Justin Waldman
Twin Bridge Sports
+1 914-414-7041
email us here

Next Level Prep featuring Northwestern Volleyball's Lily Wagner