BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Fans at No. 1 South Carolina’s Elite Eight win over No. 2 Duke on Sunday might have noticed a row of people wearing neon yellow amidst the sea of blue and maroon in the stands.
Those neon men are the Gamecocks’ practice squad, known as the Highlighters.
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The Highlighters were able to travel to the Birmingham Regional thanks to an NIL first: This practice squad has an NIL deal with OOFOS, a shoe brand. This partnership was arranged as a Christmas gift from South Carolina head coach Dawn Staley.
“So in the past, we’ve always gotten shoes, like I’ve always gotten Jordans,” fourth-year Highlighter Benjamin White said. “And then this past year, she was like, ‘I want to do something better,’ and that’s how she got in touch with OOFOS and got us an NIL deal.”
OOFOS paid for the Highlighters’ trip to Birmingham, White said. As the Gamecocks’ practice squad, the Highlighters play a big role in the team’s success, especially close games like South Carolina had Sunday.
“They always take the ball from us,” junior point guard Raven Johnson said. “They low key be bullying us in a way, but it prepares us for moments like this. Like they make sure we’re ready.”
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When asked during the game versus Duke if they could anticipate what plays Duke was running, White responded confidently: “Oh yeah. We just ran all their plays yesterday.”
Joining the Highlighters involves much more than a signup sheet. The team hosts a tryout each fall, and part of the tryout includes them getting a list of plays to run through. After a few run-throughs, they live-scrimmage using the plays they learned minutes before.
The South Carolina Highlighters pose for a photo after the Gamecocks’ advanced to the women’s Final Four.
This season’s Highlighters tryout included roughly 30 students, freshman Jake Solomon said, with only three open spots. Junior Ryan DeCoster tried out his freshman year but didn’t make the team his first go-round.
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Part of the reason Solomon was interested in becoming a Highlighter is that he wants to be a coach.
“Why not learn from the best?” he said.
Their relationship with the team, and particularly Staley, stretches beyond the court. Staley wrote a recommendation letter for White for his application to graduate school.
“I’m just really happy and blessed that they’re able to experience this with us,” senior guard Te-Hina Paopao said, “and it’s definitely a once in a lifetime experience for them.”
Popi Márquez is a student in the University of Georgia’s Sports Media Certificate program.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Dawn Staley got South Carolina’s practice squad an NIL deal
