Jenna Ellsworth, Lillian Gottman
Jenna Ellsworth and Lillian Gottman Selected for NCAA Legacy Lab
2/24/2026 11:50:00 AM | Women's Golf, Women's Soccer
INDIANAPOLIS - Purdue Fort Wayne women's soccer student-athlete Jenna Ellsworth and women's golfer Lillian Gottman will attend the NCAA Legacy Lab in Indianapolis from February 26 through March 1.
The NCAA Legacy Lab helps Division I sophomore and junior student-athletes explore entrepreneurship while they are still competing. During this multi-day event, participants turn their skills, stories and ideas into sustainable ventures and choose one of three learning tracks:
- Brand in Motion: Explore how to monetize your name, image and likeness (NIL) responsibly and effectively.
- Blueprint to Breakthrough: Learn the essentials of starting, operating and growing a business.
- Built to Serve: Design ventures that prioritize social responsibility alongside profitability.
"It just opens up a bigger picture, there's more to life than athletics," Ellsworth said. "As much as athletics is a big part of who I am and has helped me become who I am today, I'm sure it's helped me with the entrepreneur mindset, of the drive and commitment it takes to be good at something. I think it's going to be so unique to take all those skills and then transform them into something I can use for the rest of my life."
"I am very excited to meet new people and learn about leadership and entrepreneurship," Gottman said. " Having the ability to apply athletic discipline to your future is a unique opportunity athletes have, and I can't wait to learn how to do that effectively."
Selected athletes must be a Division I sophomore or junior student-athletes in good academic standing and be nominated by a coach, director of operations, student-athlete development professional, academic advisor, senior woman administrator or compliance/athletics administrator listed in the NCAA Directory.
"I think this will be huge for connections and just a better understanding of what I don't know. Getting different perspectives is the biggest thing for me, I know that I'm going to get so much information." Ellsworth said. "The future, for me, looks like owning a business of some sort, potentially in the wedding industry. My parents are current business owners of a wedding industry in New York. I just love the everyday aspects of being able to help people with one of their most special days of their entire life. That's something I could see myself doing, and if not specifically in that industry then maybe in events."
"I have played golf since I was four years old," Gottman said. "I don't want that to end when I graduate. One day, I would love to open a golf facility where young golfers can practice and develop their skills. My dad built his own jewelry business and I have been inspired by him my whole like. To build something like him would be a dream."
Ellsworth is a three-time Horizon League Academic Honor Roll selection and has been with the Mastodons since 2023. Gottman is a junior in the biology program after starting her career at UIS.
The NCAA Legacy Lab helps Division I sophomore and junior student-athletes explore entrepreneurship while they are still competing. During this multi-day event, participants turn their skills, stories and ideas into sustainable ventures and choose one of three learning tracks:
- Brand in Motion: Explore how to monetize your name, image and likeness (NIL) responsibly and effectively.
- Blueprint to Breakthrough: Learn the essentials of starting, operating and growing a business.
- Built to Serve: Design ventures that prioritize social responsibility alongside profitability.
"It just opens up a bigger picture, there's more to life than athletics," Ellsworth said. "As much as athletics is a big part of who I am and has helped me become who I am today, I'm sure it's helped me with the entrepreneur mindset, of the drive and commitment it takes to be good at something. I think it's going to be so unique to take all those skills and then transform them into something I can use for the rest of my life."
"I am very excited to meet new people and learn about leadership and entrepreneurship," Gottman said. " Having the ability to apply athletic discipline to your future is a unique opportunity athletes have, and I can't wait to learn how to do that effectively."
Selected athletes must be a Division I sophomore or junior student-athletes in good academic standing and be nominated by a coach, director of operations, student-athlete development professional, academic advisor, senior woman administrator or compliance/athletics administrator listed in the NCAA Directory.
"I think this will be huge for connections and just a better understanding of what I don't know. Getting different perspectives is the biggest thing for me, I know that I'm going to get so much information." Ellsworth said. "The future, for me, looks like owning a business of some sort, potentially in the wedding industry. My parents are current business owners of a wedding industry in New York. I just love the everyday aspects of being able to help people with one of their most special days of their entire life. That's something I could see myself doing, and if not specifically in that industry then maybe in events."
"I have played golf since I was four years old," Gottman said. "I don't want that to end when I graduate. One day, I would love to open a golf facility where young golfers can practice and develop their skills. My dad built his own jewelry business and I have been inspired by him my whole like. To build something like him would be a dream."
Ellsworth is a three-time Horizon League Academic Honor Roll selection and has been with the Mastodons since 2023. Gottman is a junior in the biology program after starting her career at UIS.
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