Leave is independent and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Saint Mary's College of California, its athletics department or its conference. Everything here comes from what Saint Mary's College of California, its conference, the state of California and the NCAA have published, linked under Sources and read on October 23, 2026. "Not published" means the school has not published it.
The rules at Saint Mary's
| Question | What is published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| School NIL policy | Not published. No Saint Mary's NIL policy was found on smcgaels.com on 2026-10-23. The newest student-athlete handbook posted there (2022-23) has no NIL section, and the compliance page links a compliance program manual, gambling, booster and rules-education pages but no NIL rules; the newest department policy manual posted (eighth distribution, 2021-08-04) has no NIL section either | SMC Athletics, Compliance; SMC Student-Athlete Handbook 2022-23; SMC Athletics Policy and Procedure Manual (2021) |
| How deals are disclosed | NCAA: third-party deals of $600 or more are reported to NIL Go within five business days (Bylaws 22.2.2, 22.2.2.2). California Educ. Code § 67456(e)(2) has an athlete "disclose the contract to an official of the institution, to be designated by the institution", with no deadline. Saint Mary's 2022 Opendorse marketplace release says deals accepted there are "automatically processed through the Opendorse platform"; its 2025 Influencer release describes Influencer as an NIL "management and compliance solution" that streamlines reporting. A Saint Mary's disclosure deadline was not published | SMC Athletics, Opendorse marketplace (2022-09-16) and Influencer partnership (2025-08-28); NCAA Division I Manual 2026-27; /nil/college/california |
| Banned categories | California's statute lists no banned categories. Saint Mary's own list: Not published | /nil/college/california |
| School marks and group licensing | Not published. No Saint Mary's rule on using its marks in NIL activity and no group licensing program was found on smcgaels.com | SMC Athletics, Compliance |
| Revenue sharing | The College Sports Commission lists Saint Mary's as participating in 2026-27 and puts the cap at "approximately $21.58 million per school" (read 2026-10-23). Saint Mary's announced on 2025-08-08 a partnership with Scout that gives the athletic department "customized revenue-share distribution, cap management, personalized financial literacy training, and a secure player wallet app". Its athletics vice president's 2025-08-25 message names "the new House settlement approved revenue-sharing model" among the changes for 2025-26. No Saint Mary's breakdown of the money was published | College Sports Commission; SMC Athletics, Scout partnership (2025-08-08) and Message from Mike Matoso (2025-08-25) |
| Collective or NIL group | None, by the school's own account. Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Matoso wrote on 2025-08-25 that "The new governance structure has also allowed us to eliminate the use of a third-party collective and now directly accept contributions to the athletic department for a variety of gifts". Saint Mary's official NIL marketplace launched with Opendorse on 2022-09-16 (the release calls Saint Mary's the first WCC school to launch one through Opendorse). The 2025 Influencer release says athletes have profiles in the Saint Mary's Gaels Marketplace, and the athletics home page's NIL link goes to the Saint Mary's exchange on INFLCR | SMC Athletics, Message from Mike Matoso (2025-08-25); Opendorse marketplace (2022-09-16); Influencer partnership (2025-08-28); smcgaels.com home page |
| Agents and representation | No current Saint Mary's NIL agent rule was found. An agent information sheet posted in 2017, before NIL, says "All Agents must complete an Agent Registration Form and submit it to the SMC Compliance office before any contact is made with SMC student-athletes". California § 67456(c) bars schools from preventing an athlete from getting professional representation and says athlete agents must be licensed under the Miller-Ayala Athlete Agents Act, which has agents file with the Secretary of State | SMC Athletics, Agent and Eligibility Information (2017); /nil/college/california |
| Compliance contact | Saint Mary's Office of Athletic Compliance. Maurisa Dominguez, Associate Athletics Director for Compliance, mad37@stmarys-ca.edu, 925-631-1065; Anna Pytlak, Director of Compliance, amc15@stmarys-ca.edu, 925-631-4955 | SMC Athletics, Compliance |
| State law | In force. Cal. Educ. Code § 67456, the Fair Pay to Play Act (operative 2021-09-01), covers private colleges such as Saint Mary's, has athletes disclose each NIL contract to a school-designated official, requires agents to be licensed under the Miller-Ayala Act, and lists no banned categories | /nil/college/california |
What is specific to Saint Mary's
Saint Mary's is a private college in Moraga whose published NIL record is built around partners rather than a written policy. In 2022 it became, by its own account, the first West Coast Conference school to open an official Opendorse NIL marketplace. University Credit Union's own release, which carries no date and is reached through a link on the Saint Mary's athletics site, describes a "Champions" NIL agreement extending financial support and education to every member of the men's and women's basketball teams, with Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Mike Matoso quoted welcoming it. For the revenue-sharing era Saint Mary's chose Scout (2025-08-08) for revenue-share distribution, cap management and athlete financial education, and in his 2025-08-25 message Matoso said the department no longer uses a third-party collective and takes contributions directly. In a February 2026 interview on the athletics site, President Roger Thompson said that as revenue share shifts, "it gives us some advantages, actually. We don't have to fund football." As of 2026-10-23 the college had not posted a written NIL policy or a handbook newer than 2022-23 on its athletics site, so for written rules athletes are left with California's statute, the NCAA bylaws and the compliance office.
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 Saint Mary's
Does Saint Mary's pay its athletes?
The College Sports Commission lists Saint Mary's College of California as a participating revenue-sharing school for 2026-27, with a cap of about $21.58 million per school. Saint Mary's uses Scout for revenue-share distribution and cap management (announced 2025-08-08) and has published no breakdown of what it pays.
Is there a Saint Mary's Gaels NIL collective?
Not any more, according to the college. Its vice president for intercollegiate athletics wrote on 2025-08-25 that the new governance structure "allowed us to eliminate the use of a third-party collective" and that the department now accepts contributions directly. Businesses and fans can still reach athletes through the college's official NIL exchange.
How do Saint Mary's athletes report NIL deals?
Two rules are published. California law says an athlete who signs an NIL contract discloses it to an official the school designates, with no deadline set. NCAA Bylaws 22.2.2 and 22.2.2.2 add NIL Go reporting for third-party deals of $600 or more within five business days. Saint Mary's has not posted its own deadline.
What NIL deals did Saint Mary's basketball players get from University Credit Union?
University Credit Union's own release, which carries no date and is reached through a link on the Saint Mary's athletics site, describes a "Champions" program for every member of the men's and women's basketball teams: credit union membership, financial wellness workshops and education. The release does not state any payment amounts.
Does California's NIL law apply to a private college like Saint Mary's?
Yes. Education Code § 67456 covers independent and private colleges as well as UC, CSU and community colleges. It protects an athlete's right to earn from name, image, likeness or athletic reputation and has each NIL contract disclosed to an official the school designates.
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