WWE NIL Athlete Derrian Gobourne Will Represent Auburn At NCAA Gymnastics Championship

It's Tuesday, and yet it seems like it's already been the longest week in WWE history, following the polarizing conclusion of WrestleMania 39, the announcement of a deal for Endeavor to purchase WWE, and a "Raw" episode that saw Vince McMahon "firmly back" in a leading creative role, much to the disdain of the WWE fanbase. As such, it's easy to forget that WWE has a lot of other things going on, like its NIL program for college athletes.

Fortunately, some good news is coming for one of the prospects in WWE's program. It was announced Monday that WWE NIL athlete Derrian Gobourne will represent Auburn University gymnastics at the 2023 NCAA Championships. Gobourne will be there as an individual competitor, competing in the floor exercise after placing first in a session this past Thursday. This will be Gobourne's final opportunity to win a national championship, as she is in her final year of eligibility as a fifth-year senior. It would be Gobourne's second national championship for Auburn and her first on the floor. She previously tied for first at the 2019 NCAA Championships in the vault as a freshman. Her victory was Auburn's first-ever national championship in the event.

Gobourne was one of fifteen collegiate athletes announced for the second WWE NIL class back in June 2022. They have since been joined by a third class that was announced this past January. Gobourne hasn't made it clear whether she will pursue a career with WWE once her collegiate career ends, though given her status as a senior, it's expected she will be making a decision on that front soon.