The Cougar Code is the official NIL collective supporting student-athletes at CSU San Marcos.

We help athletes grow their personal brands, secure NIL deals, and receive mentorship — all while staying compliant with NIL regulations.

No, The Cougar Code is independently operated by Dual Wield Sports.

We support San Marcos athletes but are not officially part of the university or athletic department.

NIL stands for Name, Image, and Likeness. It refers to an athlete’s right to earn money from their personal brand — like doing sponsored posts on social media, signing autographs, promoting local businesses, or selling merchandise.

A collective is a group (independent from a school) that helps student-athletes get compensated for NIL activities. Built Like Bulldogs is the official NIL collective for University of Redlands athletes, powered by Dual Wield Sports.

In select states, like California, yes.

High school athletes are allowed to participate in NIL as long as the deals are not tied to recruitment or performance, and they follow CIF rules. We make sure all deals stay compliant.

Yes. Here are the main guidelines:

• NIL deals cannot be tied to performance (i.e., “score 20 points and get paid” = not allowed).

• Athletes must actually provide a service — like a post, event appearance, or content — in exchange for payment.

• NIL cannot be used as a recruiting tool (e.g., “come to our school and we’ll pay you” = not allowed).

• Athletes can’t wear official school logos or uniforms in sponsored posts unless approved.

• All deals must be disclosed to stay compliant with school and league rules.

Contributions go directly to athlete support — including content creation, mentorship, NIL opportunities, and compensation for promotional work.

We match local businesses with Redlands athletes for NIL campaigns. This can include social media promotion, event appearances, product partnerships, or custom content.