K-State Adds Staff to Enhance NIL Efforts
Feb 13, 2026 | Athletics
MANHATTAN, Kan. – K-State Athletics Director Gene Taylor announced today the addition of three staff members who will be responsible for managing the department's revenue sharing contracts as well as focusing on third-party NIL efforts.
Julie Owen, who previously served as senior associate athletics director at K-State, returned in July as the department's new executive director of cap management and revenue sharing. Brett Foltz, who has served on the Ahearn Fund staff in a fundraising role, has been named associate athletics director for NIL initiatives and strategic revenue, while an assistant director of NIL position is currently posted for hire.
"As college athletics evolves, we must be proactive," Taylor said. "Housing all our NIL initiatives inside the department allows us to streamline our messaging so that our fans know the best way to support our teams and student-athletes is directly through our department. It also allows us to leverage opportunities for student-athletes to earn true, third-party NIL with businesses. The above-the-cap NIL space must be a focus of ours moving forward, and we know these staff advancements will put us in a position to help our student-athletes."
Owen's role works primarily with the revenue sharing piece of the department, which includes coordinating with coaches and general managers on allocation and distribution of those funds, as well as navigating the actual contract construction and redlining processes. She also coordinates third-party NIL deal submission in NIL Go with Learfield, external entities and student-athletes while serving as the liaison to the College Sports Commission on pending NIL Go submissions.
Foltz will lead the department's third-party NIL efforts which have become a crucial piece of recruiting and retaining student-athletes. His main responsibilities are to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward local, regional, and national third parties on leads for NIL and business development opportunities while also working with K-State Sports Properties and the athletics department on other strategic revenue and business development opportunities.
The role of assistant director of NIL will assist Foltz and also work closely with K-State Sports Properties (Learfield) on the fulfillment of NIL brand partnerships.
Those wishing to continue to support K-State's revenue sharing and NIL initiatives have various options to do so. The Ahearn Fund recently launched the "Fighting Ever Fighting" campaign built upon philanthropic gifts to the Ahearn Excellence Fund. These gifts will earn donor priority points, Ahearn Fund member benefits and may be tax deductible. Beyond revenue sharing, the Ahearn Fund will continue its traditional focus of proving resources to student athletes for success in competition and in the classroom.
In addition, K-State will soon launch Cats+, a new subscription-based service that will provide fans a direct path to support Wildcat student-athletes while also seeing benefits in return. The service, available on a monthly or yearly plan, will include behind-the-scenes access; special features highlighting K-State student-athletes and coaches via videos, podcast and special K-State Sports Extra articles written by D. Scott Fritchen; early access to digital and product-based items; exclusive digital content; classic game replays and enter-to-win sweepstakes for experiences and products.
Businesses interested in direct third-party NIL deals with Wildcat student-athletes can also reach out to Foltz for assistance via email at bfoltz@kstatesports.com.
For more information on K-State's NIL processes, click here.
Julie Owen, who previously served as senior associate athletics director at K-State, returned in July as the department's new executive director of cap management and revenue sharing. Brett Foltz, who has served on the Ahearn Fund staff in a fundraising role, has been named associate athletics director for NIL initiatives and strategic revenue, while an assistant director of NIL position is currently posted for hire.
"As college athletics evolves, we must be proactive," Taylor said. "Housing all our NIL initiatives inside the department allows us to streamline our messaging so that our fans know the best way to support our teams and student-athletes is directly through our department. It also allows us to leverage opportunities for student-athletes to earn true, third-party NIL with businesses. The above-the-cap NIL space must be a focus of ours moving forward, and we know these staff advancements will put us in a position to help our student-athletes."
Owen's role works primarily with the revenue sharing piece of the department, which includes coordinating with coaches and general managers on allocation and distribution of those funds, as well as navigating the actual contract construction and redlining processes. She also coordinates third-party NIL deal submission in NIL Go with Learfield, external entities and student-athletes while serving as the liaison to the College Sports Commission on pending NIL Go submissions.
Foltz will lead the department's third-party NIL efforts which have become a crucial piece of recruiting and retaining student-athletes. His main responsibilities are to identify, cultivate, solicit and steward local, regional, and national third parties on leads for NIL and business development opportunities while also working with K-State Sports Properties and the athletics department on other strategic revenue and business development opportunities.
The role of assistant director of NIL will assist Foltz and also work closely with K-State Sports Properties (Learfield) on the fulfillment of NIL brand partnerships.
Those wishing to continue to support K-State's revenue sharing and NIL initiatives have various options to do so. The Ahearn Fund recently launched the "Fighting Ever Fighting" campaign built upon philanthropic gifts to the Ahearn Excellence Fund. These gifts will earn donor priority points, Ahearn Fund member benefits and may be tax deductible. Beyond revenue sharing, the Ahearn Fund will continue its traditional focus of proving resources to student athletes for success in competition and in the classroom.
In addition, K-State will soon launch Cats+, a new subscription-based service that will provide fans a direct path to support Wildcat student-athletes while also seeing benefits in return. The service, available on a monthly or yearly plan, will include behind-the-scenes access; special features highlighting K-State student-athletes and coaches via videos, podcast and special K-State Sports Extra articles written by D. Scott Fritchen; early access to digital and product-based items; exclusive digital content; classic game replays and enter-to-win sweepstakes for experiences and products.
Businesses interested in direct third-party NIL deals with Wildcat student-athletes can also reach out to Foltz for assistance via email at bfoltz@kstatesports.com.
For more information on K-State's NIL processes, click here.
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