Haley and Hanna Cavinder may be known as the college twins making waves on social media and in the NIL space, but they are currently two parts of a team from the University of Miami that is continually making history during March Madness.
The 22-year-old twins have a social media following that exceeds that of most professional sports organizations, with 4.5 million followers on TikTok.
While their social media platforms remain very active during the tournament, the Cavinder twins have also made an impact on the hard court, helping The U reach the Elite Eight for the first time in the history of the women’s program.
Miami entered the tournament with no taste, being ranked #9 after being outscored by 26 points against Virginia Tech in the ACC Tournament. However, the team has exceeded expectations and history, beating No. 8 Oklahoma State, No. 1 Indiana and No. 4 Villanova on Friday to set up Sunday’s Elite Eight game.
Here, dailymail.com Check out the rising stars on and off the pitch…
The Cavinder twins frequently post photos of the basketball court, naturally in tandem.
Hanna (L) and Haley (R) Cavinder played in the Sweet 16 win against Villanova on Thursday
Haley and Hanna Cavinder are college twins who make waves on and off the NCAA floor
LUCRATIVE OFFERS NIL AND INFLUENCE
The Cavinder Girls have used their creativity, athletic prowess, and aesthetics to secure endorsement deals with Victoria’s Secret Pink, Boost Mobile, Champs Sports, Leaf Trading Cards, and Intruit TurboTax, among others.
According in 3, a valuation of the couple’s annual NIL value is $851,000 each, despite their young age. Both Hanna and Haley ranked as the top two highest-earning women’s basketball players and ranked 32/33 overall in college sports.
Like LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne, the twins signed an NIL agreement with Caktus AI, an artificial intelligence company. They posted a video of a commercial alongside Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
However, Miami was penalized for NIL violations related to the twins. U’s athletic department is on probation for a year after school and the NCAA said women’s basketball coaches inadvertently helped set up impermissible contact between a driver and social media influencers .
The twins were not subject to any sanctions, but they posted a TikTok criticizing the NCAA, with a caption that read: “Dear NCAA, are you scared that female athletes have value?”
Both Hanna and Haley have individual Instagram and Twitter accounts, but they share a TikTok and YouTube account.
On Instagram and Twitter, Haley leads the way, alone, with 583,000 on the former and 21,500 on the latter. Meanwhile, Hanna has 575,000 and 19,000, as of Saturday night.
That, of course, is expected to grow as its national presence increases.
Both Hanna and Haley post photos of their glamorous outfits, along with basketball pics.
Social media influencers attended New York Fashion Week in Manhattan earlier this year.
The couple have used creativity, athletic prowess and aesthetics to secure endorsement deals.
SUCCESS ON THE FIELD
Haley Cavinder leads the University of Miami in points, averaging 12.6 per game, and ranks second in assists (2.5) and rebounds (4.9).
Hanna, who has played almost half of her sister’s playing time, is averaging 3.9 points, 1.7 assists and 0.6 rebounds per game this season.
A standout for the U, Haley silenced the Indiana fans late in the ballgame when she headed to the foul line. At the time, Miami led 66-65 with 12.7 seconds remaining in the game.
After downing both charity shots, Haley put her index finger to her lips to silence rival fans, who tweeted ‘TikTok’, referring to the twins’ online fame.
They combined for 9 points, five assists and a rebound in a 70-65 Sweet 16 win over Villanova on Thursday.
Haley Cavinder (L) has led the University of Miami in points during the 2022-23 NCAA season
The girls celebrated the Sweet 16’s victory over No. 1 Indiana, posting celebrations on social media.
CAREER BEGINNINGS
After starring at the high school level in Arizona, the pair began their college careers at Fresno State. Both started with the Bulldogs in 2019 and played through the entire 19-20 season.
Haley was a three-time All-Mountain West player and the 2021 MW Player of the Year, her last season in Fresno. Hannah was a two-time All Mountain West star and averaged 14.6 points in her final season with the Bulldogs.
The couple dispelled the idea that they simply left to join Miami for much bigger endorsement opportunities.
“I know a lot of people might assume it could be NIL,” Hanna he told Front Office Sports in April.
Instead, they wanted to “have the best chance of making it to the March Madness tournament.”
However, Haley admitted that they were both “really excited about future business opportunities” in Coral Gables, FL.
They played together for three seasons at Fresno State before transferring to Miami in April.
Haley Cavinder played three seasons and starred at Fresno State before transferring to The U
The twins have played their entire college basketball together and have another year to go.
According to a report by On3, the valuation of the Cavinder girls’ annual NIL bids is $851,000.