Higher Ed Advisor: a student athlete’s perspective on COVID impact, NIL, health and wellness and more

Welcome to Higher Ed Advisor, the Baker Tilly podcast series where we speak with higher education industry leaders about practical and proactive guidance to help colleges and universities protect and enhance their value.

From performing their best in competitions to balancing academics within a demanding schedule, collegiate athletes face myriad pressures. In this uplifting episode, NCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship Elite 90 winner and recent Baker Tilly accounting intern, Connor Bennink, opens up about how he transforms challenges encountered as a Division II (and now Division I) student athlete into opportunities. Recognizing the highly evolving collegiate athletics environment is now significantly influenced by name, image and likeness (NIL), COVID-19, rising mental health incidents and other factors, Connor provides an illuminating student athlete perspective on these topics.

Connor joins Baker Tilly’s Collegiate Athletics Practice Leaders, Dave Capitano and Adrienne Larmett, to discuss the pandemic disruption’s impact on collegiate team sports, the realities student athletes face today, his own journey using the transfer portal to transfer from Gannon University to Coastal Carolina University and advice for fellow student athletes and coaches.

Plus, we examine ways student athletes can advocate for themselves as well as how coaches and administrators can empower, build relationships with and support student athletes.