The WWE has launched various programs over the years, and one of them is the Next in Line (NIL) program, which aims to create a new generation of superstars by signing collegiate athletes. The company has already signed two classes of the NIL program since its inception and has announced its third class earlier this year. Last year, one of the NIL signees, Anna Keefer, a track athlete from the University of North Carolina, had a tryout after SummerSlam and is now expected to make her debut in the WWE soon. Keefer, who holds the Minnesota state high school record in long jump, cut a promo in front of the live audience during a recent NXT commercial break.
As with WWE’s tendency to give their talent new stage names, it’s likely that Keefer will also receive a new name upon her debut. In addition to Keefer, another NIL signee, Roman Macek, a former starting center at Duquesne University, made his debut on LVL Up tapings on February 28th. Macek, who was a standout wrestler in high school, is expected to take on a lawyer gimmick in the ring.
Keefer, prior to signing with the WWE, had an impressive track record in various national competitions, placing tenth in the nation in the long jump at the NCAA championships in 2002. She was also 8th in the long jump and 12th in the 200 meters at the indoor championships the same year. With her impressive credentials, it’s no wonder that she’s expected to make a big impact in the WWE.
WWE NXT (Via WWE/Twitter)
Macek, on the other hand, had a solid college basketball career, earning second-team All Northeast Conference honors in 2021. He was also a standout wrestler in high school, placing third in Pennsylvania in the heavyweight division in 2017.
The WWE’s signing of collegiate athletes like Keefer and Macek is a strategic move to create a new generation of superstars who are just making it big in their domain and amongst the people around them. It will be exciting to see how Keefer fares in her debut, and the WWE has already given us a glimpse of her potential with her promo during the recent NXT commercial break. Only time will tell who will be the next big star to emerge from the WWE’s NIL program.
