Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, has recently announced a significant plan to provide additional financial assistance to members of the RedHawks men’s basketball team. This initiative comes following a generous $2 million gift from alumni Brian and Jennifer Niccol.

The school intends to supplement regular scholarship funds for players in two ways. Half of the gift will be allocated to fund annual payments of $5,980 to each player who meets academic qualifications and remains eligible. The other half will go into a separate fund that players can access after graduating.

Miami’s director of athletics, David Sayler, emphasized the broader impact of this support, stating, ‘This isn’t just on the court. It’s off the court, too. It’s preparation for life and preparation to tackle whatever career it is that they’re going to go into. Having this gift and allowing them to earn some dollars while they’re here as a student-athlete, it’s just a huge boost for them and a huge opportunity for us to give our student-athletes a chance to be successful.’

Men’s basketball coach Travis Steele expressed how the additional funds will contribute to maintaining the team’s cohesion in the ever-changing landscape of college athletics. ‘Continuity is the key to our team’s success. You look across this whole landscape of college athletics and what is happening with the transfer portal, and the question becomes how do you retain your guys? This is very big because the name of the game today is retention,’ Steele remarked.

The annual payment is a result of a 2021 United States Supreme Court ruling that found the NCAA’s limits on athletics-related compensation violated antitrust laws (Alston v. NCAA). These payments, often referred to as ‘Alston payments,’ are separate from athletes’ ability to capitalize on their name, image, and likeness via sources outside the university.

Brian and Jennifer Niccol, both alumni of Miami University, are the benefactors behind this substantial contribution. Brian Niccol, currently the chairman and chief executive officer for Chipotle Mexican Grill, expressed his gratitude towards the university, stating, ‘I personally had a great experience at Miami, made great friends, had great professors. Part of the reason we give back is because I wouldn’t be where I am today if not for going to Miami and having a couple professors who pointed me in the direction of the career that I’m doing today.’

This generous gift from the Niccols is set to make a meaningful impact on the lives of student-athletes at Miami University, providing them with valuable financial support and opportunities for success both on and off the court.