Sabrina Ionescu Has A New Position, But A Familiar Role
Sabrina Ionescu’s playing days as a Duck may be over, but she’s not done delivering assists to Oregon athletes. In her position as Division Street’s CAO (Chief Athlete Officer), Sabrina will help University of Oregon’s 500 student-athletes get the most from their Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities during their athletic and academic careers at Oregon.
That’s not necessarily just about money, Sabrina explains. “You have to remember you’re there first and foremost to get an education and compete in your sport—without that there is no NIL to monetize” she said. “Money is important, but so are shared values, working relationships, the stories you’ll tell together and the impact you want to make.”
“Think beyond the money. Define who you are first—your values, your goals, your interests, your style—and use that to evaluate whether an opportunity is right for you.”
Only two years removed from her college athletic career, Sabrina sees her role as being able to provide the athlete’s perspective—both to her colleagues at Division Street, but also as an advisor to current Oregon athletes facing the challenge of balancing school, sport and the NIL landscape. “It’s a lot for a student-athlete to weigh on their own, which is exactly why I joined the Division Street team. Division Street is going to be an amazing resource in freeing up student-athletes to focus on what’s most important without sacrificing opportunities to take advantage of NIL.”
Sabrina knows firsthand the array of skills it takes to compete as student-athletes. She sees Division Street as providing the one thing they don’t possess—experience in the field. “Student-athletes have a full plate—and figuring out how to monetize their brands is an incredible challenge. Our team has spent decades building the brands of the world’s best athletes, and we will use that experience to support all Oregon student-athletes, inclusive of every sport and across gender.”
Sabrina stresses, that there isn’t a single template or formula that’s right for every student-athlete, and says her biggest piece of advice to athletes is, “Think beyond the money. Define who you are first – your values, your goals, your interests, your style – and use that to evaluate whether an opportunity is right for you.”
For Oregon’s student-athletes, that sounds like another valuable assist.
Portrait Photography by Amy Sussman for Getty Images
Action Photography by Sarah Stier for Getty Images