Cantwell Joins Gonzaga’s Mark Few, Current College Athletes & Other Coaches Speaking in Support of Protect College Sports Act

Cantwell Joins Gonzaga's Mark Few, Current College Athletes & Other Coaches Speaking in Support of Protect College Sports Act

CANTWELL: "I'm asking my colleagues to join us in fixing what's wrong with college sports today."; FEW: "We really, really need help, and we need it from Congress."; Cantwell's bipartisan Protect College Sports Act ensures federal rights and protections for athletes and secures the future of women's and Olympic sports; vote on legislation expected this week

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined Gonzaga University head men's basketball coach Mark Few, current college athletes, other coaches, and senators from both parties to speak in support of the Protect College Sports Act.

"[The Protect College Sports Act] is a first-time federal statute on the rights of students to earn NIL and revenue sharing. So, a historic recognition of both of those rights," said Sen. Cantwell.

"This is [also] about reining in the bad practices that are happening in college sports today, the runaway costs that are sending people to the state legislature, asking for bailouts from taxpayers to pay for sports ... because of the runaway arms race in sports spending," she added. "I'm asking my colleagues to join us in fixing what's wrong with college sports today."

"We really, really need help, and we need it from Congress," said Coach Few. "This bill might not be perfect, but it's far and far away the best thing we got out there right now."

"I'm so proud of both Senator Cantwell working with her over all these years, but just teaming with Senator Cruz," he added, "it really, really gives you a great feeling and great encouragement of just how Washington does really work for all of us."

Speakers at today's press conference included current college athletes, current college coaches and bill cosponsors from both parties.

COLLEGE ATHLETES

• Diego Diaz, Fairleigh Dickinson University Men's Volleyball
• Sophia Stylianos, University of Michigan Women's Rowing
• Kedrick Green, Howard University Football
• Sydney Wilson, Saint Mary's College Women's Tennis
• Ella Brooks, Clemson University Track & Field

COLLEGE COACHES

• John Calipari, Head Coach, University of Arkansas Men's Basketball
• Mark Few, Head Coach, Gonzaga University Men's Basketball
• Craig Bohl, former Head Coach, North Dakota State University / University of Wyoming Football
• Kelvin Sampson, Head Coach, University of Houston Men's Basketball (and former Washington State University head coach)
• Craig Robinson, Executive Director, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and former Head Coach, Brown University / Oregon State University Men's Basketball

SENATORS

• Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
• Commerce Committee chair Ted Crux (R-TX)
• Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-MO)
• Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV)
• Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO)
• Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND)

Sen. Cantwell is leading the effort to reform college sports and ensure tomorrow's athletes have the same opportunities as today's competitors. The Protect College Sports Act of 2026 sets new rules and provides new tools to stabilize college sports, including codifying athletes' rights to earn compensation for their NIL, enshrining scholarship and healthcare protections in law, reining in predatory agents, expanding revenue for all schools and preserving and protecting the future of women's and Olympic sports.

In June, at a landmark hearing on the bill, the Commerce Committee heard powerful testimony on the worsening crisis facing college athletics, including the future of women's and Olympic sports, athletes' rights, and the financial sustainability of the entire collegiate sports system.

In December of last year, she introduced the Helping Undergraduate Students Thrive with Long-Term Earnings (HUSTLE Act) with Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) so that college athletes earning NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) money can protect more of it for their post-playing lives. In October, Sen. Cantwell joined former college and professional athletes and Senators Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in warning that the SCORE Act would roll-back hard fought NIL rights and health protections, leave athletes vulnerable to unscrupulous agents, short-change women's and Olympic sports, and shut the door on collective bargaining rights.

Last September, Sen. Cantwell, joined by co-sponsors Sens. Booker and Blumenthal, introduced the Student Athlete Fairness and Enforcement (SAFE) Act to codify athletes' rights and protections in law, expand revenue for all schools, support women's and Olympic sports and bring much-needed stability to the college sports system.

Video of Sen. Cantwell's remarks is available HERE. Video of Coach Few's remarks is available HERE. Photos are available HERE. A transcript is HERE. A video of the full press conference is available HERE.