Sophomore Alyssa Hopkins represented George Mason University at the NCAA Legacy Lab in September in Indianapolis, Indiana. The lab brought together student-athletes from across the country to explore entrepreneurship, personal branding, and opportunities beyond sports.
Hopkins, a sport management major and member of George Mason’s softball team, was nominated by George Mason Athletics and completed an extensive application before being selected for the four-day program. “I was really excited for the chance to explore my interests outside of softball and meet other student-athletes doing the same thing,” Hopkins said.
The NCAA Legacy Lab helps sophomore and junior Division I, II and III student-athletes in good academic standing turn their skills, stories, and ideas into sustainable ventures. The program gives participants the tools, mentorship, and space to translate their competitive strengths into business and brand-building skills. Participants chose one of three learning tracks: Brand in Motion: Explore how to build and monetize a personal brand through NIL; Blueprint to Breakthrough: Learn the fundamentals of starting, operating and growing a business; and Built to Serve: Develop ventures that combine social responsibility and profitability.
Hopkins selected the Brand in Motion track, which challenged her to think more intentionally about building her personal brand and pursuing NIL opportunities in a way that feels authentic to who she is.
“I had a great experience and met so many student-athletes with different goals and ideas,” Hopkins said. “I also enjoyed getting to share my idea for a ticketing platform that could support athletes and give back to charitable causes.”
One of Hopkins’ biggest takeaways from the experience was that an idea does not have to be completely developed before taking the first step. The Legacy Lab encouraged her to think about the problem her idea could solve, who it could help, and what steps would be needed to turn the idea into reality.
“Hearing other student-athletes share their ideas inspired me,” Hopkins said. “Everyone came in with different experiences and goals, but we all wanted to use what we’ve learned through sports to make an impact.”
The experience also challenged Hopkins to communicate her own ideas more clearly and consider how they could develop beyond the initial pitch. Along the way, she formed connections with fellow student-athletes and made new friends.
As a sport management major with interests in NIL and entrepreneurship, Hopkins plans to carry the lessons and connections from the Legacy Lab into her future career in sports. “I want to keep building connections and use my platform with purpose,” she said.
For Hopkins, the experience reinforced the value of stepping outside her comfort zone and being open to new opportunities—something she encourages other student-athletes interested in the NCAA Legacy Lab to do as well.
“I would tell them to go for it,” she said. “Be open to meeting people, asking questions, and sharing what you care about. You might leave with a clearer idea of what you want to do beyond your sport. You will learn so much about yourself and what you are capable of if you just try.”
