NCAA high jump champion, Arkansas commit Rachel Glenn on transfer portal: Schools 'straight up offer an NIL deal'

Names like Travis Hunter and Sam Hartman dominated the transfer portal this offseason. It was Hunter Dickinson in basketball, with many trying to decipher where the Michigan big man would land. The transfer portal exists outside of college athletics’ two most popular sports, though. NIL has been just as influential, too.

Rachel Glenn put her name in the portal back in May. The morning after, the 2021 NCAA High Jump champion had been contacted by a who’s who of track and field powers.

“I was overwhelmed. Literally, when I entered the portal, the next morning, I opened my emails, my DMs — they had blown up,” she said. “Everybody wanted me to go to their school.”

The rising senior took visits to Arkansas, Florida, LSU and Oregon, among others. On Tuesday night, Glenn announced her decision to transfer to the Razorbacks. Considered to be a contender for the Paris 2024 Olympics, finding a program to help her train for Team USA’s Olympic Trials was a key factor in her decision. Arkansas fills that bucket with its 49 national championships.

But the Long Beach, California, native, wanted to make sure she landed where her NIL endeavors were supported. With more than 25,000 social media followers, she has previously signed partnership with Celsius Energy and Clean Energy. Glenn was one of 15 athletes tabbed for WWE’s Next In Line class of 2022, too.

In her opinion, South Carolina did not deliver her NIL needs.

“One of the reasons I was getting frustrated with the NIL collective at South Carolina was I kept asking and asking for help with NIL deals and brand deals, but they literally spent all their attention on basketball and football,” she said. “So going on other visits and going to other schools, I’m noticing how their collective focuses on all sports, not just football and basketball.”

Track and field programs just as competitive as football, basketball

A three-time First Team All-American, Glenn has aspirations past track and field at the NCAA level. She missed this past season with a torn meniscus and has since recovered. In the meantime, the high jumper adds real value to college programs looking to bolster their overall points at meets for the upcoming 2023-24 season.

“Everybody wants to build their program,” she said. “Everybody wants points, so they’re looking for the best of the best. I think it’s no question that track and field is a really competitive sport.”

 NIL collectives have surfaced at nearly every Division I school. And the word collective, which has no ulterior meaning, has become synonymous with Name, Image and Likeness. The race is to stockpile the most cash to distribute to current players so recruits know what they can make once they enroll at the college. 

That sentiment is true in football and basketball, but as Glenn experienced in the transfer portal, collectives are willing to spend to win in track and field.

“There are some schools that do recruit with NIL,” she said. “I’ve had some schools say they can’t promise me anything with NIL because it’s against the rules, but if you come here we can help you. And then there are the schools that straight up offer an NIL deal.”

Glenn made sure to check in with athletes about their experiences with NIL at the schools she visited. While schools did not lie about their program or NIL, she did say they “embellished.” Having conversations with current members of programs made where she would be best suited and if the financial packages were legitimate.

Rachel Glenn focused on building brand, future career

An All-SEC high jumper and winner of the Penn Relays, her personal record is 1.88 meters. Having time off from practice and events this past year gave Glenn pause, though. It also provided time to think about what she wanted to prioritize outside of track.

While many know her for her high jumping abilities, she wants to build a following away from the sport. Sure, part of it is because of the brand deals she could line up if she chooses to go professional or makes the Olympics. It has also turned into a hobby.

“Content creation is definitely something I want to do,” she said. “I feel like the NIL world and getting brand deals is a part of that. Maximizing my athletic ability along with NIL was something I was looking for in a school. Through NIL, I want people to see me as a person. I want them to see personality: What makes me sad, makes me glad, makes me — happy things like that.”

The move to Arkansas keeps her in the SEC. She will have to go up against her former team at some point this upcoming season. Glenn appears unfazed by that notion.

Instead, she is confident the Razorbacks will put her at an advantage leading up to the trials for Paris 2024.

“Whatever I do, even in the summer, is going to set me up for the Olympic Trials,” Glenn said. “I definitely have to be on my A game.”