FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blueprint Sports Welcomes Allison Monette as
New Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Award-winning communications leader will oversee national portfolio of NIL collectives

LAS VEGAS (July 12, 2022) – Following an extensive national search, Blueprint Sports (BPS) is proud to announce that Allison Monette has been selected as the new Vice President of Marketing and Communications. As part of the executive leadership team, Monette will be responsible for directing strategic initiatives, branding, marketing and communications across BPS’ national portfolio of name, image, and likeness (NIL) collectives.

“We are delighted to welcome Allison to our growing team,” said Blueprint Sports co-founder Cisco Aguilar. “Allison is a proven leader who, in addition to her broad marketing experience, brings expertise from the nonprofit and higher education worlds. The NIL marketplace is expanding and as such, consistent branding and messaging across our BPS portfolio is needed to better serve our student-athletes, alumni, fans and supporters in each community.”

Monette is an Emmy Award-winning communications leader with more than 16 years of experience. She began her career in television as a news reporter for the NBC affiliate in Tri-Cities, Washington. Since leaving the newsroom, she has focused on helping nonprofits and government agencies advance their missions through strategic communications, digital marketing and social media. Prior to joining the Blueprint Sports team, Monette served as Director of Communications and Brand Management at Vegas PBS and an adjunct professor at the University of Nevada Las Vegas Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies.

At Vegas PBS she directed the organization’s brand refresh and expanded the digital marketing initiatives, to include programmatic display advertising, paid search and paid social media. During school closures at the height of the covid-19 pandemic, Monette’s swift communication action helped the station reach more than a million people across social media. This effort to provide timely and accurate information to the community in a time of crisis, helped Vegas PBS earn the 2020 Nonprofit of the Year Award from VEGAS INC.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the BPS team during a time of exciting growth in the NIL space,” said Monette. “There’s no position I’d rather be in than supporting this talented and passionate team, focused on connecting student athletes with growth opportunities, providing financial literacy, and giving them the tools to succeed on and off the athletic field.”

Monette holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and Spanish from the University of San Diego and a Master of Communication Management degree from the University of Southern California Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. She is a member of the Junior League of Las Vegas, Latinas In Power, Alpha Chi Omega Alumni, and the Las Vegas Innovation Marketing Association. In 2022, Monette was named a “40 Under 40” honoree by VEGAS INC. She has received various PRSA Pinnacle Awards, AAF Addy Awards, and Telly Awards.

About Blueprint Sports

Founded in Las Vegas in 2020 and backed by Andre Agassi, eight-time Grand Slam tennis champion, Blueprint Sports (BPS) powers the industry's leading name, image, and likeness (NIL) collectives for alumni, supporters, and businesses, connecting them with student-athletes at their favorite university. BPS’ national portfolio of collectives support student-athletes in communities across the country, including Friends of Spike, around Gonzaga University, Friends of Wilbur & Wilma, around the University of Arizona, Friends of Basevols, around the University of Tennessee, Friends of UNILV, around the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Friends of the Pack, around the University of Nevada Reno, Friends of Rocky, around The University of Toledo and more. The Blueprint Sports management team possesses over 50 years of college and professional sports experience, spanning the Pac-12 Conference, IMG, Learfield, and Nevada Athletics Commission, among others. For more information visit blueprintsports.com

and follow @PoweredByBPS on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

About Name, Image, Likeness (NIL)

On June 30, 2021, the Division 1 Board of Directors approved an interim name, image, and likeness policy. This new policy allows all NCAA D1, D2, and D3 student-athletes to be compensated for their NIL as of July 1, 2021. Student-athletes can now engage in paid community appearances, autograph sessions, youth coaching engagements, and sports marketing campaigns

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For media inquiries, please email communications@blueprintsports.com

Nate Brown

General Manager

Nate Brown is the General Manager of Zags Collective, leading the charge to help amplify the opportunities for the Gonzaga student-athletes through NIL partnerships with local charities, fans and businesses. With over a decade of experience in the professional sports industry and as a former business owner in Spokane, Nate is a seasoned professional who knows what it takes to succeed. Most recently, he served as the National Sales Director for a prominent west-coast real estate company, where he was responsible for driving growth and retention. With a deep understanding of sales and marketing, Nate brings a wealth of knowledge to the table and is always seeking innovative ways to drive revenue and create partnerships.With a passion for ensuring the success of student-athletes both on and off the field, Nate is dedicated to providing the necessary resources to keep Gonzaga competitive on the national stage. He understands the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with the community and local businesses, and works to maximize opportunities for Gonzaga’s student-athletes. As the son of two Gonzaga alumni, including a father who was a baseball pitcher and also a coach for the school, Nate has a great connection to the university and a passion for ensuring its continued success. Outside of work, Nate enjoys spending time with family, including his wife Jessica and their 16-year-old daughter Brooklynn and 12-year-old son Marcus. When not working or spending time with family, you can find Nate at any one of the amazing golf courses in Spokane, honing his swing!

Mike Smith

General Manager

Mike Smith joined Micconope 1851 in March 2023 and is excited to be the General Manager and looks forward to working with Blueprint Sports increase NIL revenue generation for Florida State University student-athletes. Smith comes to Micconope 1851 from Catawba College where he held the title as the Senior Director of Athletics, Development. Prior to working in Athletics at Catawba College, Mike served as the Associate Athletics Director for External Relations at Charleston Southern University. Smith has an impressive background in the collegiate athletics industry, having held senior level development and corporate sponsorship sales roles at The University of Southern Mississippi, Limestone University, the Sun Belt Conference, Florida Atlantic University, and with multimedia rights-holders Tele South Communications at the University of Mississippi, Learfield Sports at UNC Chapel Hill, and with International Sports Properties at Georgia Tech. Smith is a graduate of North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and holds a master’s degree in Business Management from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville. In his new role here at Micconppe 1851, Smith will be responsible for raising major gifts for NIL deals as well as securing NIL corporate sponsorships for Florida State University student-athletes. Mike looks forward to helping ensure the FSU student-athletes have the resources and leadership opportunities to remain competitive nationally and positioned for success well beyond graduation. Mike is married to Katy Smith; the couple looks forward to relocating to Tallahassee, Florida, and becoming a part of the Micconope 1851 and Seminole family!

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