TAKING FLIGHT: GRIT Announces Its 2026 NIL Ambassador Class
Six standout athletes from across Western Pennsylvania join GRIT’s third annual NIL ambassador program
September 28, 2026 — GRIT Sports Performance announces its 2026 NIL Ambassador Class, featuring six premier high school student-athletes from across Western Pennsylvania representing football, wrestling, basketball, volleyball and soccer.
Now in its third year, the GRIT NIL program was created to connect the company with athletes who can authentically represent the brand, help raise awareness of GRIT’s services and facilities, and educate the athlete community by sharing their experience through their own eyes and voice.
The 2026 Signing Class includes:
James “Boo Boo” Armstrong Four-star Class of 2028 quarterback and Penn State commit, ranked among the top quarterbacks nationally in his class.
Marlee Solomon McKendree University commit, 2026 U17 World Champion and two-time Pennsylvania state champion, ranked among the top girls wrestlers nationally in her class.
Luca Federico Three-star Class of 2028 basketball recruit and WPIAL champion with multiple Division I offers, including West Virginia, Penn State, Virginia Tech and Nebraska.
Molly Robertson Penn State volleyball commit, Pennsylvania MaxPreps Player of the Year and two-time All-State selection, recognized among the top volleyball prospects in the region.
Chase Karenbauer Pennsylvania state champion, U.S. Open champion and two-time Powerade champion who also represented Team USA at the U17 World Championships.
Taylor McCullough Ohio State soccer commit, All-WPIAL standout and WPIAL champion, recognized among the top Class of 2028 soccer players in Western Pennsylvania.
“This program has always been about connecting GRIT with athletes who represent the level of ambition, competitiveness and growth we want associated with our brand,” said Paul Fair, Founder of GRIT Sports Performance. “These six athletes give us the opportunity to tell our story across different sports, communities and parts of Western Pennsylvania, while showing more athletes and families how GRIT can enhance the way athletes train, recover and develop.”
A Growing GRIT Platform
The 2026 ambassador class joins an expanding GRIT platform built around Growth. Recovery. Innovative Training.
GRIT works with individual athletes, teams, schools and athletic departments by providing access to sports science, performance testing, readiness monitoring, recovery technology and other industry leading resources designed to complement the work already being done by coaches, athletic trainers, strength staffs and families.
The company’s original GSP Labs location in New Castle continues to serve athletes and teams throughout Western Pennsylvania and Eastern Ohio, while GRIT prepares to open its second GSP Labs location inside GreenTree SportsPlex in Pittsburgh this October.
GRIT’s growing network also includes team and school partnerships such as its athlete welfare work with Westminster College, its athletics-wide performance and recovery partnership with Farrell Area School District, and team partnerships with North Allegheny Football, Aliquippa Football and many more.
“The growth of GRIT has come from building an environment that gives athletes access to resources that can meaningfully enhance their development,” Fair said. “By combining sports science, testing and assessments, recovery, and innovative technology, we’re able to give athletes a more complete understanding of their performance, more tools to improve it, and fill the gaps holding them back from full potential."
In GRIT Company
The 2026 signing class marks the third year of GRIT’s NIL ambassador program.
Alumni and current GRIT NIL ambassadors include Louie Gill (West Virginia University, Wrestling), Lily Palko (University of Michigan, Softball), Christian Lucarelli (University of Virginia, Baseball), Ralphie Blundo (Westminster College, Basketball), Addy Frye (University of Kentucky, Softball), Brody McQuiston (Clarion University, Basketball), AnnaSophia Viccari (Ohio University, Cross Country/Track), Natalia DiSora (Wake Forest University, Soccer), Josh Pratt (Columbia University, Basketball) and Bria Bosiljevac (Indiana University, Softball), along with current ambassadors Tori Harvey and Khalil Taylor.
The continued involvement of current and former ambassadors has helped the program become a recognizable extension of the GRIT brand and a way for athletes to share firsthand how performance testing, recovery, education and access to GRIT resources fit into their own development.
Taking Flight
The 2026 class was photographed at Air Heritage Aviation Museum at Beaver County Airport as part of GRIT’s “Taking Flight” campaign.
The location is especially fitting this year as Air Heritage celebrates its 40th Anniversary and continues its work preserving and restoring historic aircraft through its volunteer-run museum. GRIT thanks Air Heritage for opening its facility to the 2026 ambassador class and helping bring the campaign to life.
Six athletes. One mission.
The 2026 GRIT NIL Ambassador Class is cleared for takeoff.
About GRIT Sports Performance
GRIT Sports Performance provides athletes, teams and organizations with access to sports science, recovery, testing, readiness monitoring and innovative training resources through GSP Labs and its growing network of partnerships across Western Pennsylvania.
Growth. Recovery. Innovative Training.
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