PARIS (AP) — Team USA runner Liza Corso is leaving Paris with her second Paralympic medal, but is hopeful other rewards are in her near future.
Corso won bronze in the women’s 1,500 meters T13 classification (visual impairment) on Saturday after winning a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 games. Corso will also continue to chase Paralympic gold while running cross country and track for Lipscomb University in Nashville.
More than half of Corso’s Paralympic teammates have competed collegiately, according to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, but she is part of the first generation that can profit off marketing deals while still competing as an NCAA athlete.
Corso's deals range from smaller sponsorships on social media to partnerships with worldwide brands like Toyota, and, announced earlier this month, Samsung.
“Especially when larger brands are supporting more Paralympic athletes, I think that definitely means a lot to us as athletes, just realizing that they value Paralympic sport is super important,” Corso said.
This is thanks to the NCAA’s 2021 decision to allow athletes to make money from their names, images and likenesses, referred to as NIL. Prior to that, athletes would lose their eligibility for any commercial activity, but the passage of state laws pressured the NCAA into changing its rules. Since then, collegiate athletes have been able to monetize their NIL through brand sponsorships, licensing agreements, product endorsements and other activities.
The total projected market for NIL deals has expanded from $917 million in its first year to a projected $1.67 billion this year, according to an annual report from Opendorse, a prominent NIL deal marketplace.
The new NIL rules took effect less than two months before the last Paralympic games in Tokyo. The NIL market has flourished since then, making the 2024 Paralympics one of the first major brand-building opportunities for collegiate athletes in adaptive sports.
Coming off the Paralympics in 2021, Corso technically was eligible for the endorsement deals as an incoming freshman at Lipscomb. The infrastructure to support NIL was still in development, however, leaving Corso with few opportunities even after her medal-winning performance.
As the NIL market developed with time, Corso also started connecting with brands over social media or through platforms like Opendorse. Corso has deals with Olipop and Firefly Recovery, both achieved without an agent or Team USA’s assistance.
“I would say as the years have gone on that I’ve been in college, there’s been more opportunities, and there’s also been more platforms popping up where brands can reach out to athletes,” Corso said. “That’s been super helpful for just getting athletes connected with brands in general and having more of a structure around it.”
Corso is not alone. Other collegiate Paralympians like USC’s Ezra Frech (track & field), Alabama’s Ixhelt Gonzalez (wheelchair basketball) and Virginia’s Skylar Dahl (rowing) have all benefited from NIL as the Paris games approach.
“I think more brands … are starting to copy other brands in providing NIL opportunities,” Corso said. “I would say it’s definitely more of a known thing than it was three years ago."
NIL deals often make headlines for massive monetary figures going to superstars such as Iowa basketball player Caitlin Clark, USC quarterback Caleb Williams and LSU basketball player Angel Reese. None of Corso’s deals have approached the million-dollar mark, but her earnings have helped support her through college. Like many Paralympians, Corso’s sponsorships are complementary to a better source of income.
“Nothing that I’ve experienced could fully support me financially,” Corso said. “But I do know that after college, I have a few Team USA teammates who have larger sponsorships and deals that are a larger source of their income.”
NIL has also solved an issue that many Paralympians used to face: ending their college career early to maximize the years they can profit off endorsements. Take former Arkansas sprinter Hunter Woodhall, who won his first Paralympic medals at the Rio games in 2016.
Woodhall was 16 at the time and began building a large social media following but was unable to monetize it once he signed with Arkansas. He left the Arkansas track team months before the 2020 Paralympics with a year of eligibility left so he could monetize his social media following.
“I got so tired of waiting, tired of their hypocrisy,” said Woodhall in a 2021 interview with The New York Times. “It was not worth staying to chase a national title so they could use my name and my story to promote themselves.”
Corso can maximize all her years of NCAA eligibility. The 21-year-old will enter her senior seasons with Lipscomb’s cross country and track teams after Paris, chasing more personal records and national accolades before graduation.
She said she knows how she wants to see the NIL market evolve for Paralympians.
“I’d probably say just continuing opportunities and just a wider variety of brands that are supporting athletes,” she said. “I definitely want to see a more equal opportunity between Olympians and Paralympians. It’s definitely getting better and more in that direction, but I do think that there’s still work that can be done.”
Jack Leo is a student in the undergraduate certificate program at the Carmical Institute of Sports Media at the University of Georgia.
AP Paralympics: https://apnews.com/hub/paralympic-games
Liza Corso from the U.S., foreground left, works her way through the pack and on to a bronze medal during the 1500 meter T13 race at the Paralympic Games in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Avni Trivedi)
Liza Corso from the U.S., left, works her way through the pack and on to a bronze medal during the 1500 meter T13 race at the Paralympic Games in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Avni Trivedi)
Liza Corso from the U.S., left, works her way through the pack and on to a bronze medal during the 1500 meter T13 race at the Paralympic Games in Paris, Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Avni Trivedi)
GAINESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Alison Lee sparked a shirtless caddie celebration by spinning a wedge into the cup for eagle. Andrea Lee holed a bunker shot to set up Rose Zhang’s walk-off eagle one hole later. And Megan Khang paused for 10 seconds to let gravity help her out on a critical birdie putt.
The wait was worth it for the United States, which maintained a four-point lead over Europe in the Solheim Cup on Saturday.
With top-ranked Nelly Korda getting an afternoon break after winning the leadoff point in three consecutive sessions of team matches, U.S. captain Stacy Lewis watched her role players excel, and the Americans concluded a warm, breezy day at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club with a 10-6 advantage.
“They’re playing the way I expected them to play, so I’m not surprised at all,” Lewis said. “But at the same time, to do it on this stage and in these moments and to pull these shots off and to make the putts and to do it with the joy that they’re doing it with, it’s the coolest part to me.”
Europe, which has captured the Solheim Cup the last three times, won the last two matches to conclude a 4-4 day. But the team in royal blue and yellow will need its largest comeback in Sunday singles to make it a record four in a row. The U.S. rallied from four points down to win in Germany in 2015.
The U.S. needs 4 1/2 points from a dozen singles matches to win the cup, and Europe needs eight points to retain it. Captain Suzann Pettersen drew inspiration from the European Ryder Cup team's rally from the same deficit to win at Medinah in 2012.
“I was on the opposite side in Germany, and I know what it feels like,” Pettersen said. “Everyone remembers Medinah. I mean, it’s a tough task.”
Lewis has relied on data to find the right combinations, whether keeping Korda and Allisen Corpuz together for alternate shot; sending rookie Lauren Coughlin out with three partners; or giving Zhang a comfortable pairing with Andrea Lee, her fellow Stanford Cardinal.
“I know their games backwards and forwards, and it’s allowed me to create some really good pairings,” Lewis said.
Korda and Corpuz fell behind early against Carlota Ciganda and Emily Pedersen but turned it around on the back nine and got a break when Corpuz hit a worm-burner of a fairway wood into the par-5 14th hole that avoided the water and settled within 20 feet. Korda put her hands on her head in disbelief and Lewis gave Corpuz a shoulder rub in the fairway.
Korda holed the putt for eagle, her second in a row on a hole the U.S. has dominated, and she and Corpuz became the first American duo to go 4-0 in foursomes after winning twice last year in Spain.
“The Americans have played unbelievable. I don’t know how many eagles they’ve had. It seems like they’ve had double figures,” Hall of Famer and European assistant captain Laura Davies said. “They’ve just played great golf. Out-putted us at the moment. Deep squad of players. We’ll never say never, but it is going to be very, very difficult to get the cup back.”
A day after transportation problems prevented most fans from getting to the golf course for the opening tee shots, a situation that LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan took responsibility for, the grandstands surrounding the first tee were full and fans lined the gallery ropes shortly after 7 a.m.
The only thing that kept them quiet was a slow start by the Americans, but it got loud once Korda started rolling.
In the first afternoon better-ball match, Anna Nordqvist and Madelene Sagstrom were 2 down to Khang and Alison Lee when Nordqvist birdied the par-3 11th hole. Khang's tying putt hung on the lip for 10 seconds before dropping, and she confirmed with a rules official that she had not waited too long for the ball to move.
Needing two putts to win the 14th, Khang made her 15-footer for eagle anyway, setting up the latest fist-pumping celebration for the Americans’ loudest cheerleader, who was next to the green in a cowboy hat when Corpuz hit her approach hours earlier.
Khang and Lee closed it out on the next hole for a 4-and-3 victory, Lee's first in a Solheim Cup match since 2015. She gave the U.S. an early lead with her wedge from 86 yards for an eagle 2 on the second hole, and the Americans’ caddies stripped from the waist up and chest-bumped to pay off a bet with Lee that they agreed to on the tee box.
“Literally holed out five minutes after that conversation. Great motivation,” Lee said.
Zhang and Andrea Lee never trailed in their 6-and-4 victory over Linn Grant and Celine Boutier. Zhang, the youngest U.S. player at 21 who had a forgettable Solheim debut last year, joined Korda and Coughlin by winning all three of her matches.
Pettersen benched Leona Maguire, a valuable contributor in the last two Solheim Cups who has played poorly this year, for both sessions. Rookie Albane Valenzuela also sat out all day, while Charley Hull and Pedersen played four matches each.
Hull delivered. The excitable English player hit a 300-yard-plus drive on the par-4 18th to set up a wedge to tap-in range by Esther Henseleit for a 1-up victory in foursomes over Ally Ewing and Jennifer Kupcho, then did it again as she and Georgia Hall beat Corpuz and Lilia Vu 2 up in better ball.
Lexi Thompson improved her record in alternate shot to 7-2-1 in what is likely her final Solheim Cup, teaming with the unbeaten Coughlin to make four birdies in six holes on the back nine and beat Maja Stark and Hall, 4 and 3.
Thompson and Ewing were beaten 2 and 1 by Ciganda and Pedersen in fourballs. Ewing has lost her last six Solheim Cup matches.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Europe's Anna Nordqvist hits from a bunker on the 15th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Rose Zhang smiles after winning a fourball match on the 14th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Europe's Emily Pedersen celebrates winning a fourball match during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
United States' Rose Zhang celebrates after hitting out of a bunker and into the cup on the 13th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Rose Zhang, right, is congratulated by teammate United States' Andrea Lee after hitting out of a bunker and into the cup on the 13th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Alison Lee, center, reacts flanked by celebrating caddies after finding the cup from the fairway on the second hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Megan Khang celebrates after making a putt on the 14th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament fourball match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
Europe's Anna Nordqvist hits from the fifth tee during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Lexi Thompson smiles after winning a foursome match during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Lauren Coughlin hits from a bunker on the 10th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Ally Ewing hits from the 18th fairway during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Europe's Esther Henseleit celebrates after winning a foursome match during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
Europe's Charley Hull celebrates after winning a foursome match during a Solheim Cup golf tournament at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Nelly Korda hits from the first fairway during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Nelly Korda celebrates after sinking a putt on the 10th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
United States' Nelly Korda, left, is celebrates with teammate Allisen Corpuz after sinking a putt on the 10th hole during a Solheim Cup golf tournament foursome match at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, in Gainesville, Va. (AP Photo/Matt York)
