Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Monmouth University, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Monmouth University, its conference, the state of New Jersey and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 24, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at Monmouth
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | "Name, Image, and Likeness Institutional Policy" in the Monmouth University Student-Athlete Handbook 2026-2027 (posted 2026-09-16). It says NIL pay "may be secured or compensated based, in whole or in part, on athletics skill or reputation" but may not compensate "athletics participation or achievement", and that "An institution or an entity owned, controlled, funded or operated by the institution may" sign license or endorsement agreements with athletes for no longer than their eligibility and "Act as a marketing agent for a student-athlete with respect to noninstitutional name, image or likeness contracts". An older one-page "Student-Athlete Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Institutional Regulations" (posted 2021-10-12) is still on the athletics site; it says "Institutional staff members are not permitted to provide or arrange NIL opportunities", requires Athletics Department approval of all NIL activity, and refers to "The NJ Fair Play Act (effective 2024)", which New Jersey repealed in 2025 | Monmouth Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook; NIL Institutional Regulations (2021) |
| How deals are disclosed | NCAA: third-party deals of $600 or more go to NIL Go within five business days (Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2). Monmouth's 2026-27 handbook: "A student-athlete shall report all noninstitutional name, image and likeness contracts or payment terms, including those involving associated entities or individuals, with a total value of $600 or more to NIL Go for review", counting repeat payments from the same or related payors, and submits documentation "within five business days"; a reporting violation can bring "practice or game suspensions, removal from roster, or immediate cancellation of athletics scholarship". The handbook lists Robert Woodcock for eligibility, financial aid and NIL questions. The 2021 regulations had required every NIL activity to be disclosed to and approved by the Athletics Department. On 2026-07-09 Monmouth announced that its Teamworks partnership adds Influencer, "Teamworks' athlete brand-building and NIL management platform". New Jersey law has no disclosure rule since 2025 | Monmouth Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook, NIL Institutional Regulations (2021) and release (2026-07-09); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/new-jersey |
| Banned categories | New Jersey law bars athletes under 21 from NIL pay tied to alcohol, tobacco and electronic smoking products, or cannabis. Monmouth's 2026-27 handbook: "Monmouth Athletics will not permit a student-athlete to enter into NIL deals and/or otherwise endorse adult entertainment, gambling, tobacco or tobacco-related products, guns and ammunition, or adult beverages (unless aged 21 or older)". The 2021 regulations' list ("Endorsing Vices") also named casinos, prescription pharmaceuticals and controlled substances | Monmouth Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook and NIL Institutional Regulations (2021); /nil/college/new-jersey |
| School marks and group licensing | The 2026-27 handbook's NIL policy does not address Monmouth marks. The 2021 regulations let athletes use team-issued or university-issued gear and photography with Monmouth marks "upon approval from the Athletics Department", or buy a mark from the university licensing department "to use the mark to their desire (e.g. camp T‐shirt, camp advertisement, etc.)"; facilities go through University Conference Services, with a fee. Group licensing: Monmouth announced on 2023-07-26 a partnership with Athlete's Thread for NIL licensed merchandise across all 24 sports, for athletes who opt to sign with it | Monmouth Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook, NIL Institutional Regulations (2021) and release (2023-07-26) |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission puts the 2026-27 cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" and lists Monmouth University (Coastal Athletic Association) as participating in 2026-27 (read 2026-10-24). Monmouth's Hawk Excellence Fund (2025-06-26) is "designed to empower student-athletes through NIL, revenue sharing, and academic benefits". Director of Athletics Jen Sansevero said Monmouth supports NIL "particularly in the sports of football, men's basketball and women's basketball", and told Monmouth's magazine (Fall/Winter 2025) that "We are not mixing our operational dollars with providing benefits to our student-athletes". No figures are published | Monmouth Athletics release (2025-06-26); Monmouth University Magazine (Fall/Winter 2025); College Sports Commission |
| Collective or NIL group | The Hawk Excellence Fund is Monmouth Athletics' own fund for NIL, revenue sharing and academic benefits; gifts are tax deductible and questions go to Patrick Elliott, listed in the staff directory as Senior Associate AD for Revenue, NIL & Development. Monmouth's 2023-07-26 release mentioned "the Fly Hawks Alliance, a collective that will bolster the NIL opportunities for current and future Hawks"; the website named in that release did not load on 2026-10-24, and Monmouth has published no later statement on it | Monmouth Athletics, Hawk Excellence Fund page and releases (2025-06-26, 2023-07-26); Staff Directory |
| Agents and representation | Monmouth's 2026-27 handbook says a parent, guardian, lawyer or other competent representative may assist an athlete in discussing a license or endorsement agreement unless the athlete waives that in writing, and that athletes may not agree to be represented by a professional sports agent for a professional career. New Jersey law: a four-year school may not stop an athlete from obtaining professional representation, attorneys must be licensed, athlete agents comply with the federal Sports Agent Responsibility and Trust Act, and both "shall act in a fiduciary capacity"; New Jersey has no athlete agent registration statute | Monmouth Athletics, 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook; /nil/college/new-jersey |
| Compliance contact | Monmouth Athletics, Office of Athletic Compliance. The staff directory lists Robert Woodcock, Senior Associate AD for NCAA Compliance, 732-571-3433, and Justin Jackson, Assistant AD for NCAA Compliance, 732-263-5287 (read 2026-10-24); the 2026-27 handbook lists Woodcock as Executive Associate AD for NCAA Compliance and the NIL contact | Monmouth Athletics, Staff Directory and 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook |
| State law | In force. New Jersey's P.L.2025, c.110 lets a four-year college or its related entities pay athletes directly for NIL, limits only alcohol, tobacco and cannabis deals for athletes under 21, and requires yearly NIL programming; it applies to four-year schools that offer athletic scholarships and does not define "four-year institution of higher education", so its text does not settle whether it reaches private colleges such as Monmouth | /nil/college/new-jersey |
What is specific to Monmouth
Monmouth has said a good deal about how it pays for the new model. Its Hawk Excellence Fund, launched in June 2025 "With the recent approval of the House settlement", takes tax-deductible gifts for "NIL, revenue sharing, and academic benefits", and Director of Athletics Jen Sansevero named football, men's basketball and women's basketball as the focus while keeping a 24-sport program. In Monmouth's magazine she said the department is "focusing on producing new revenue streams" rather than using operational dollars to provide athlete benefits, and that Monmouth has "instituted financial literacy requirements for any student-athlete who is participating in revenue sharing or receiving additional benefits". Its written rules have moved too: the 2021 one-page regulations said staff could not arrange NIL and required approval of every NIL activity, while the NIL Institutional Policy in the 2026-27 handbook follows NIL Go reporting, says the institution may act as an athlete's marketing agent, and sets its own list of barred deal categories.
How Leave fits
In Leave, every deal thread carries a rules summary for the athlete's state and level, and keeps the contract, its dates and the disclosure deadline that applies. It is a summary, not a ruling; the school and the law decide. Leave is software, not an agent, and takes 0% of any deal. You decide, you send.
Questions about NIL at Monmouth
Does Monmouth pay its athletes?
Monmouth is on the College Sports Commission's list of revenue-sharing schools for 2026-27, and the Commission puts the cap at about $21.58 million per school. Monmouth's Hawk Excellence Fund supports NIL, revenue sharing and academic benefits, with a focus its AD described as football, men's basketball and women's basketball. Monmouth has published no amounts.
How do Monmouth athletes report NIL deals?
Monmouth's 2026-27 Student-Athlete Handbook has athletes report noninstitutional NIL contracts or payment terms of $600 or more, counting repeat payments from the same or related payors, to NIL Go within five business days. It warns that a reporting violation can bring suspensions, removal from the roster or cancellation of an athletics scholarship. New Jersey's current law has no disclosure rule.
What NIL deals does Monmouth not allow?
The 2026-27 handbook says Monmouth Athletics will not permit NIL deals or endorsements for adult entertainment, gambling, tobacco or tobacco-related products, guns and ammunition, or adult beverages for athletes under 21. New Jersey's own law limits only alcohol, tobacco and vaping, and cannabis deals for athletes under 21.
What is the Hawk Excellence Fund at Monmouth?
A fund Monmouth Athletics launched on 2025-06-26 to support athletes "through NIL, revenue sharing, and academic benefits". Gifts are tax deductible, donors get Blue/White Club benefits, and questions go to Patrick Elliott.
Can New Jersey colleges like Monmouth pay athletes for NIL?
New Jersey's P.L.2025, c.110 says a four-year college "or any related entity" may contract to pay an athlete directly for NIL. The law covers four-year schools that offer athletic scholarships; whether it reaches private universities such as Monmouth is not settled by its text.
Be your own agent. Leave.
