SPORTS

EAST LANSING, Mich.  – The Representative Council of the Michigan High School Athletic Association has approved an expansion of personal branding activities (PBA) – also commonly referred to as Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) – allowing student-athletes at MHSAA member schools, effective immediately, to potentially benefit from such opportunities.

The MHSAA previously allowed some PBA opportunities, including the abilities for student-athletes to conducts camps, clinics and private lessons. The expanded policy allows student-athletes to capitalize on PBA through several more options as long as those activities are individual opportunities for individual students – while not disrupting competitive equity that would result from the creations of group activities including collectives and other pay-for-play opportunities now the norm at the collegiate level.

The topic of PBA/NIL had been discussed at length with membership over the last three years during MHSAA Update meetings and various other conferences with schools and their administrators. The Council had debated the possibility of these rule changes since the Michigan Legislature proposed amending state law to allow for student-athletes’ use of NIL in 2023, and also after closely monitoring similar developments in surrounding states.

“We have said from the start of this conversation that the MHSAA could be comfortable with a policy that provides individual branding opportunities for individual student-athletes, and this rule change provides those while excluding the possibility of collectives, and boosters and school people getting involved in those activities,” MHSAA Executive Director Mark Uyl said. “This is the essence of what NIL was supposed to allow in the first place, and we’re confident we’ve crafted language that allows true NIL opportunities without affecting competitive equity among our member schools.”  

Additional activities allowed by the new PBA policy include social media endorsements and promotions, personal appearances, photo sessions or autograph signings; modeling, advertising, merchandise, sports cards or apparel sales; and the use of a student’s name, image or likeness in marketing materials.

PBA activities must be consistent with MHSAA rules and school policies. A student-athlete may not capitalize on PBA based on athletic performances, awards/recognition, team participation or competition outcomes. A student-athlete also may not involve school names, logos, mascots, trademarks or other obvious identifiers, uniforms or other intellectual property, and PBA activity may not occur during school attendance or any MHSAA event (including practice) and cannot take place on school property or be promoted on school media channels.

Schools, including coaches and other employees, are not allowed to solicit, arrange, negotiate or promote PBA activities on behalf of their student-athletes. Doing so may put that school’s MHSAA membership in jeopardy, in addition to rendering that student-athlete ineligible for MHSAA athletics.

“The MHSAA will guard the competitive equity we have promoted for more than 100 years, and take with the utmost seriousness any attempts to break or blur this rule,” Uyl said. “We have provided clear language and sufficient guidance on what is allowed to assist our schools as they navigate this ever-changing landscape.”

PBA associated with products, services, individuals, companies or industries deemed inappropriate, unsafe or inconsistent with the values and goals of interscholastic athletics, as determined by the MHSAA – for example gaming or gambling, alcoholic beverages and banned substances – are also prohibited.

All PBA activities must be disclosed to the MHSAA within seven days of an opportunity or contract for disclosure and approval. Schools may choose to have stricter rules regarding PBA if they choose to do so.

For more details on what is and what is not allowed, and frequently asked questions about PBA in regards to MHSAA regulations, visit the MHSAA Name, Image, Likeness page at

https://www.mhsaa.com/name-image-likeness.

The Representative Council is the legislative body of the MHSAA. All but five members are elected by member schools. Four members are appointed by the Council to facilitate representation of females and minorities, and the 19th position is occupied by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee.

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FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. -- The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has announced its Athletes of the Week for the period covering January 19-25. Each week throughout the academic year, the conference recognizes standout performances from student-athletes across its member institutions.

The MIAA Athlete of the Week honors are selected from nominations submitted by head coaches at each school. These awards spotlight the top individual efforts in competition and showcase the high level of play within the conference.

Selections are released every Monday at 4:00 p.m., with the exception of weeks impacted by federal holidays.

MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Porter Kretschman, The University of Olivet
Sophomore forward Porter Kretschman helped lead the Comets to a 78–64 win at Adrian and an 89–77 victory over Trine, recording back-to-back double-doubles. He posted 19 points and 17 rebounds against Adrian, with the 17 rebounds standing as the second-most by an MIAA player in league games this winter. Kretschman followed that effort with 10 points and 14 rebounds against Trine, continuing a strong week on the boards.

MIAA Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Meghan Trewhella, Albion College
Junior guard Meghan Trewhella helped Albion secure two key road wins last week, defeating Alma 81–61 and Saint Mary’s 75–56. Against Alma, she scored 24 points on 9-of-17 shooting (.529), added three rebounds and two assists, and went 5-of-7 (.714) from the free-throw line. Trewhella followed with a double-double at Saint Mary’s, posting 20 points on 6-of-13 shooting (.462) and pulling down 11 rebounds (five offensive, six defensive), along with two assists and three steals. She currently leads the MIAA with 357 points (19.8 per game), 135 field goals, 81 free throws, and a field-goal percentage of .531.

MIAA Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week - Braden Estep, Trine University
Senior sprinter Braden Estep had a record-breaking day at the Hillsdale Wide Track Classic on Friday. Estep ran an indoor personal-best 22.10 in the 200m dash. His time is currently ranked 15th in the nation. Estep also matched his personal-best time of 6.90 in the 60m dash.

MIAA Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week - Sophie Bull, Calvin University
Senior Sophie Bull ran at Grand Valley State's Bill Clinger Invite over the weekend. Bull won the 3000m run in a time of 8:47.50, topping a field of 62 runners which included 11 Division I student-athletes and 16 Division II runners. Her mark is currently ranked eighth in the nation.

MIAA Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week - Owen Fremeau, The University of Olivet
Junior Owen Fremeau competed at the Hillsdale Wide Track Classic over the weekend. Fremeau was the runner-up in the shot put, throwing a school-record mark of 17.12m. His performance in the shot put is currently tied-for-third in the nation. Fremeau also finished fourth in the weight throw with a toss of 17.46m.

MIAA Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week - Helena Snyder, Alma College
Senior Helena Snyder had a standout meet at Saginaw Valley State's Doug Hansen Open over the weekend. Snyder won the high jump with a leap of 1.62m. Her mark broke Alma's indoor school record of 1.60m which she set last season and is currently tied-for-28th in the country. Snyder also placed eighth in the long jump with a leap of 4.57m.

MIAA Men's Swimming Athlete of the Week - Jackson Merkel, Calvin University
Freshman Jackson Merkel turned in a standout performance at Saturday’s MIAA Invite in Grand Rapids, emerging as the meet’s only double-event winner in men's swimming. He claimed first place in the 50 freestyle with a time of 21.0 and followed with a victory in the 100 freestyle, clocking 45.5. Both swims were near his season-best marks.

MIAA Women's Swimming Athlete of the Week - Emma Merkel, Calvin University
Junior Emma Merkel was the only double winner in women’s swimming at Saturday’s MIAA Invite, capturing victories in the 200 freestyle (1:52.5) and the 200 backstroke (2:01.2). Her 200 backstroke time was faster than last year’s NCAA invited standard. Merkel also helped the 200 freestyle relay finish runner-up, posting the fastest split of the meet at 23.2.

MIAA Men's Diving Athlete of the Week - Zander Ligman, Kalamazoo College
Sophomore Zander Ligman delivered a strong performance at the MIAA Invite this past weekend, sweeping both boards. He won the one-meter dive with a score of 284.20 and followed with a first-place finish on the three-meter board, posting a score of 312.10.

MIAA Women's Diving Athlete of the Week - Wen Wadsworth-Curcuru, Albion College
Junior Wen Wadsworth-Curcuru delivered a strong performance at Saturday’s MIAA Invite, sweeping both diving events. She claimed first place on the one-meter board with a score of 254.70 and followed with a win on the three-meter board, posting a score of 267.75.

MIAA Wrestling Athlete of the Week - Jayden Lewis, Albion College
Freshman Jayden Lewis helped the Brits to a league-opening 31-17 win at Alma. Lewis delivered a pivotal performance, earning a first-period pin at 157 pounds. He secured the maximum six team points with a fall in just 1:14 over Vincent Provo, providing a quick and impactful boost for Albion in the dual.

MIAA Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week - Rodrigo Alipio, Calvin University
Junior Rodrigo Alipio opened the spring season with an exhibition match against Division II Grand Valley State last Friday. He earned the Knights’ lone point at No. 1 singles with a three-set victory over Lawrence Ivanov, winning 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-5. 

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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Tittabawassee River: No fishing pressure due to poor ice conditions.

Eastern Saginaw Bay: Anglers targeted walleye off the east side of the bay. Most anglers reported slower fishing, catching one or two walleye, while a few anglers caught five or six. Anglers were scattered across the east side of the bay, and there were still reports of open pockets of water or thin areas that needed to be watched carefully. Nearshore fishing for yellow perch was very slow this week. Those targeting northern pike also reported slow fishing. Fishing off the pier in Caseville was slow as well.

Lower Saginaw Bay: East of the Saginaw Bay, walleye were caught in the slot with 10 to 12 inches of ice reported. Some anglers went a few miles past the slot and caught a few walleye. At Vanderbilt Park, a few yellow perch were caught in 6 feet of water, with 7 inches of ice. On the east side of Spoils Island, in 7 to 10 feet of water, a few walleye were caught. Ice thickness ranged from 8 to 10 inches.

Saginaw River: There were a lot of walleye anglers out over the weekend fishing from the mouth of the river upstream to the I-675 Bridge. Past I-675, the ice was piled up and conditions were poor. Walleye fishing was a little spotty. A few anglers did well, and a limit was occasionally seen, but many found smaller walleye. Anglers who did well stayed away from the crowds and were willing to try different tactics and methods. Good areas included Veterans Memorial Park in Bay City, across the channel on the far side in 18 feet of water, and downstream of the Edson in 27 feet of water. Productive baits included Kastmaster rattle spoons, jigging Rapalas in blue and silver, orange, and fire tiger. Buckshot spoons, all tipped with a minnow, found success as well.

No reports.

Tawas/Au Gres: Slow fishing was reported by those fishing the reef. Anglers reported better success toward Buoy 6. Catches consisted of a few walleye and mostly small yellow perch, with a few keepers mixed in. In Au Gres, there were mixed reports in 17 to 22 feet of water, where anglers reported marking fish but had difficulty getting them to bite. Off the point in shallower water, fishing was hit or miss; however, the fish that were caught were sizeable. In the Standish area, decent numbers of walleye were caught. However, there were many skimmed-over open pockets of water, so anglers needed to use extreme caution venturing out. Yellow perch fishing was slow, with a lot of throwbacks and only a few keepers.

No reports.

Little Bay de Noc: Anglers fishing the upper bay had limited success. Most anglers targeting walleye reported lethargic marks, making for a tough bite. Perch anglers reported similar results, struggling to convert marks into fish on the ice. Cold temperatures made using set lines outside of the shack difficult. Shiny lures tipped with minnows were the presentation of choice for most anglers. Minnows and wax worms were the preferred bait for perch this week. Anglers fishing farther south toward Escanaba also reported slow walleye fishing.

Les Cheneaux Islands: Anglers in Muskie Bay caught a lot of undersized northern pike when targeting perch. The perch were few and far between in Muskie Bay. In Hessel, anglers caught good numbers of perch, with the majority being throwbacks. Very few splake were caught, and the fish were tough to find. The wind and negative temperatures this past week were brutal. Spikes, wax worms, and minnows were the most popular baits.

Munising: The coho salmon bite was steady this week, with anglers having good success. In the bay, anglers did well on splake and whitefish, but many of the splake caught were undersized. Anglers targeting perch had little success this week, as the bite was slow. Anglers had success using wax worms, wigglers, and eggs for bait.

When fish are marking on electronics but won’t bite, downsize your presentation and slow your cadence. Lethargic winter fish often respond better to smaller spoons or jigs tipped with a minnow head or wax worm, especially during cold fronts and extreme low temperatures.

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