INDIANAPOLIS – Texas A&M student-athletes Blake Holland (track & field) and Marianna Rodriguez (equestrian) represented the Maroon & White last week at the NCAA Legacy Lab Sept. 10-13.
The NCAA Legacy Lab helps sophomore and junior student-athletes explore entrepreneurship while they are still competing. During the multi-day program, participants turn their skills, stories and ideas into sustainable ventures, choosing one of three learning tracks:
- Brand in Motion: Explore how to monetize your name, image and likeness responsibly and effectively
- Blueprint to Breakthrough: Learn the essentials of starting, operating and growing a business.
- Built to Serve: Design ventures that prioritize social responsibility alongside profitability.
“Legacy Lab not only helped me build my connections in the business world, but connections in friendships as well,” Holland said. “It built my confidence to not only speak professionally, but also building confidence in my own branding as a person. Each speaker has their own story, motives, and love for their work, making each speaker a different experience than the other. If you’re nominated, take the opportunity to try and get picked, because it’s an experience I would do over and over again.”
“I had such a great experience at the NCAA Legacy Lab and learned so much that I know I’ll continue to use in the future,” Rodriguez said. “I got to hear from some really inspiring speakers, meet amazing people and connect with other athletes who had similar goals and interests. I would definitely recommend the Legacy Lab to any athlete who wants to learn more about entrepreneurship or just wants to challenge themselves and step outside of their comfort zone like I did.”
The 2026 NCAA Legacy Lab marked the second iteration of the event. Holland and Rodriguez were two of 47 participants at the four-day program in Indianapolis.
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