Clemson Thrower Fights to Protect College Sports for Future

For Anna, a Clemson University thrower, college sports created every opportunity she has today. Her parents met at a college track meet, and she grew up watching her mom coach Division II athletes, dreaming of the day she'd compete at the highest level.

Now living that dream at Clemson, Anna wakes up every day with access to world-class facilities and coaches who push her to break through her ceiling. She's pursuing both a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Public Administration while taking on leadership roles she never imagined possible.

But she's watching that same dream slip away for others. Recent NCAA court decisions and a patchwork of state laws have created instability across college athletics, forcing schools to make painful cuts.

Anna has seen some of her closest friends removed from their teams to meet new roster caps. Universities have eliminated entire Olympic sports programs like men's swimming and track and field, while budgets stretch thin trying to provide scholarships and services.

The transfer portal has transformed team culture, with athletes moving schools multiple times and traditional loyalty fading. Walk-on opportunities have vanished as schools rely more heavily on transfers, compressing recruiting pipelines for high school athletes.

Anna's little brother is about to start his first year as a Division I lacrosse player at a mid-major program. Her little sister dreams of playing lacrosse at a Power 4 school, just like Anna threw at Clemson.

The Ripple Effect

The changes rippling through college athletics extend far beyond individual athletes. When Olympic sports get cut, entire communities of young athletes lose their pathway to higher education and personal growth.

Anna credits sports with teaching her how to work hard, overcome adversity, manage time, and build lifelong relationships. Her coaches didn't just train her to throw farther but encouraged her to pursue challenging academics and leadership opportunities.

For every athlete who loses their roster spot or sees their sport eliminated, a door closes to the transformative experience Anna describes. Mid-major programs face growing disparities with well-funded Power 4 schools, making it harder to provide the same opportunities.

The revenue-sharing and Name, Image, and Likeness changes have brought both blessings and curses. Football and basketball athletes deserve to share in the value they create, which helps fund Olympic sports. But without proper guardrails, many students face exploitation from unregistered agents charging excessive fees.

Anna believes we're approaching a point of no return. College athletics changed her life by opening doors she never thought possible, and she's fighting to protect that same chance for every young athlete working toward their NCAA dreams.