MADISON, Wis. — Wisconsin has strengthened its commitment to student-athlete success with the appointment of two staff members to lead the Badgers' name, image and likeness (NIL) efforts.

Deputy Athletic Director Mitchell Pinta announced the new roles Tuesday, naming Brian Mason Director of NIL Strategy and Bianca Miceli Assistant Director of NIL and Community Outreach.

"This is an investment in our student-athletes and the future of our department," Pinta said. "The influence of NIL in college athletics has been immense and we must align our resources to continue positioning Wisconsin as a national leader in NIL success for student-athletes.

"Brian and Bianca have been instrumental in our NIL efforts to this point. They have the vision our program and our student-athletes need in order to thrive in this evolving environment."

Mason and Miceli, who report to Pinta, will lead the effort to continue building on a strong first year of NIL activation for Wisconsin student-athletes. They will oversee the continued evolution of the Badgers' holistic NIL program, YouDub — a name that reflects the program's purpose of empowering student-athletes to develop a personal brand that suits their personality, interests and business goals while positioning themselves for sustained success both in NIL and their post-graduate endeavors.

Mason leads the development of NIL strategy to best position UW and its student-athletes for success in a rapidly-changing landscape. He will manage UW's strategic partnerships with industry leaders Opendorse and Altius Sports Partners and serve as a contact on NIL issues with key external stakeholders, including corporate partners, Badger Sports Properties and The Varsity Collective.

Coordinating with staff from the Brand Engagement, Career & Leadership and Compliance units, Mason and Miceli oversee the development and execution of NIL-related educational programming for student-athletes.

Miceli specifically is responsible for finding creative and innovative ways for Wisconsin student-athletes to develop their personal brands in the NIL space. Along with strengthening Wisconsin's NIL efforts, she also will lead the communications strategy for the Badgers Give Back program's engagement efforts with current and prospective community partners.

Brian Mason, Director of NIL Strategy

Now in his 15th year at Wisconsin, Mason moves to Director of NIL Strategy from a longtime role on the Badgers' communications staff.

Mason has played an integral role in the Badgers' efforts in the NIL space dating back to 2020. He worked as project co-lead during the development and initial rollout of YouDub, culminating in the program's launch in June of 2021, and has since served alongside senior administrators on UW Athletics' internal NIL management team.

In his communications role, Mason spent the last 12 seasons working directly with the Wisconsin football program and promoted the Badgers during a run that included three Big Ten championships, six appearances in the Big Ten Football Championship Game and six New Year's Six bowl games.  |  Full Bio

Bianca Miceli, Assistant Director of NIL and Community Outreach

A member of UW's NIL education working group since 2020, Miceli played an important role in the initial development of the YouDub program and has since served as a valued resource for student-athletes navigating the evolving NIL space.

Miceli has served in several roles since joining Wisconsin Athletics in 2014, most recently as Brand Manager for the national champion UW volleyball program. Working closely with the volleyball, marketing and creative services staffs, Miceli led the development of the program's external communications strategy and worked to elevate its presence in the digital media space.

She also was responsible for running the volleyball program's social media channels and producing premium video content, including six seasons of the behind-the-scenes access series "Driven."  |  Full Bio