Key Takeaways
- The grand prize pairs $4,500 in cash with a semester-long paid NIL deal, the JUNKLESS Athlete title, and social features running through December.
- Ten most-viewed Instagram entries advance to judging, with Livvy Dunne personally selecting the winner on creativity, originality, and brand engagement.
- Nine runners-up each collect $1,000 and product; the entry window for rostered 2026-2027 female college athletes closes September 15.
JUNKLESS Foods, a better-for-you snacking brand founded in 2018, has launched a nationwide college athlete NIL contest with Olivia “Livvy” Dunne and The Livvy Fund. Announced July 15, the JUNKLESS Athlete Collective contest will award one female college athlete a paid, semester-long brand deal, with Dunne personally choosing the winner. The grand prize totals $4,500 in cash plus a semester’s supply of product for the winner and her team.
What the JUNKLESS Athlete Collective Winner Receives
Beyond the cash and product, the winning athlete earns the official JUNKLESS Athlete title and monthly content features across the brand’s social platforms from late September through December, according to the company. Nine additional finalists each receive $1,000 and product. JUNKLESS positioned the program as a launchpad for athletes to build personal brands and pursue future deals. Chris Pruneda, COO of JUNKLESS, called Dunne the highest-earning female college athlete to date and framed the contest as support for equal opportunity in women’s college sports.
How Athletes Enter and When the Winner Is Named
Entry is open to athletes rostered on a US-based women’s college or collegiate team for the 2026-2027 academic year. Competitors post videos featuring JUNKLESS Protein or Granola Bars to Instagram and drive views organically. Athletes can submit unlimited entries through September 15, and the ten most-viewed videos advance to judging. Dunne will select the winner based on creativity, originality, and brand engagement, per the announcement, with the winner named in late September 2026. No purchase is necessary to enter.
A View-Count Race With Dunne as the Final Judge
The structure ties advancement to organic Instagram performance before handing final selection to Dunne, whose Livvy Fund backs female athletes building personal brands and NIL value. For JUNKLESS, which added protein bars to its lineup in 2025, the contest attaches a recognizable NIL name to a product push aimed at the college athlete audience. Entries close September 15, with the first JUNKLESS Athlete named in late September.
Source: JUNKLESS Foods, July 15, 2026 (company press release), https://junklessfoods.com/junklesscontest
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