NIL and Tampering: Mid-Major Softball Coaches Call Out What’s Happening in the Sport
In the shadows of the NCAA Women's College World Series, where powerhouse programs grab headlines and trophies, a deeper issue is unfolding.
One that’s quietly unraveling the foundation of mid-major programs across the country.
Coaches are speaking out and they are not whispering.
Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) was meant to empower athletes. And in many ways, it has. Just like anything that involves money and ego, it’s gotten messy—fast. What we’re seeing now isn’t just athletes cashing in on their brands. We’re seeing tampering. Flat-out poaching. And mid-major coaches have had enough.
These are programs that build players from the ground up. They don’t always have the flashiest facilities or the deepest pockets, but they’ve got grit, heart, and a culture of development. Yet now, with one standout season, these athletes are getting calls. Not from agents. From other coaches.
Let’s call it what it is, tampering.
While it might be happening behind the scenes, it’s becoming bolder by the day. Mid-major athletes are being lured with the promise of NIL deals, bigger stages, and exposure they “deserve.” But at what cost?
Ashley Waters of Boston University recently stated in a tweet:
Was the intention of the NIL to buy people off rosters? What has happened to our sport… the rich are getting richer, yet they preach “grow the game.” Allow people to thrive where they are… if they are unhappy or want more they’ll go in the portal on their own.
— Ashley Waters (@ashley3waters) June 9, 2025
It’s a harsh reality, and it’s reshaping recruiting. Development isn’t just about cultivating talent anymore, it’s reall about protecting it.
Let’s not forget the mental toll this takes on athletes. They’re 18–22 years old, getting offers that would make most adults question their loyalties. When money enters the equation, relationships change. Trust gets murky. And team dynamics? They suffer.
So where do we go from here?
There has to be accountability. Guidelines. Enforcement. While NIL isn’t going anywhere, the wild west of unregulated backdoor deals is tearing at the fabric of the sport.
Everyone should ask the college coaches they encounter this summer to tell them their worst story of tampering. https://t.co/mOyDI2ZGi1
— Laura Matthews (@LauraMatthews12) June 9, 2025
The transfer portal combined with NIL power plays is no longer just about player mobility, it’s about power imbalance. Until we address tampering with real consequences, mid-major programs will keep bleeding talent while pretending everything’s fine.
But it’s not fine.
This isn’t about being anti-NIL. It’s about being pro-integrity. Because without it, the very spirit of college softball, the development, the loyalty, the grind…starts to fade.
And that’s a loss no amount of money can fix.
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Katie Burkhart is a former professional softball pitcher and Arizona State University alumna, where she was a three-time All-American and led the Sun Devils to a national championship. She played professionally in the U.S., Japan, and Italy, and has coached at the Division I level. She now provides private pitching instruction and mindset training for athletes of all levels. Katie is also the author of Mental Muscle and Beyond the Game, books focused on athletic performance and life after sports.