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Blue Square Student Athletes
Introducing the Blue Square Athlete Ambassador Program
As one of the first nonprofits to sponsor Jewish athletes in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) space, we are bringing Jewish stories to a non-Jewish audience by highlighting athletes who are breaking barriers and representing unique stories of the Jewish experience– on and off the field.
Our Blue Square athletes are student leaders, unifying different communities on campus by creating visibility and demonstrating what it means to be a Jewish student athlete.
What is NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) in the NCAA?
It refers to a person’s legal right to control how their image is used, including commercially. In college, student-athletes have long been prohibited from making deals to profit from their fame, so they forfeited their NIL rights by signing on with college sports teams. Three years ago, a combination of NCAA rule changes and state laws restored NIL rights to college athletes, and they’ve been making sponsorship deals ever since.
– ESPN
The Ambassadors
Ze’ev Remer is a Division III basketball player at Cal Lutheran University. Remer, who plays guard for the Kingsmen, averaged 5.4 points as a junior as Cal Lutheran went 14-2 in conference play and secured their third straight NCAA tournament appearance. As a collegiate basketball athlete that keeps kosher, he has to make minor changes to his schedule to fit the team’s program, which often means leaving on Thursday for a Saturday game or making deli sandwiches in his hotel room. Ze’ev’s teammates have embraced Ze’ev and the Jewish faith, with the team opting to walk back to the hotel as a team on Shabbat, and even venturing to the Remer household for team Shabbat dinners.
Ethan Hott is a Division I baseball player and MLB prospect at Stanford University. As an outfielder for the Cardinal, Hott has appeared in 87 games, and most recently hit .342 in his junior season, scoring 19 runs for the Stanford team that went on to advance to the semifinal of the Pac-12 Baseball Tournament. Growing up, Ethan attended Hebrew and Sunday school, where he learned the values of togetherness and high achievement – values he carries with him today. As a standout high school player in Arizona, Ethan was named 2x All-State First Team and the No. 22 player in the state. At Stanford, Ethan reconnected with his Jewish faith following the October 7th attacks, following which he “unapologetically” donned his Star of David and joined the Hillel community.
Riley Weiss is a Division I basketball player at Columbia University. As a sophomore playing guard, Weiss started all 31 games and averaged 17.8 points per game as the Lions won the Ivy League Championship in 2025. From playing high school basketball in 7th grade to her career at Columbia, Riley’s work ethic stems from her Jewish identity. While growing up and celebrating Jewish holidays, her family taught her the values of perseverance, hard work, humility, and standing up for others, which helped propel her athletic career. She credits a meeting with Sue Bird, another Jewish female basketball player, with inspiring her journey.
Liv Shumbres is a Division I track and field athlete at the College of Charleston. As a sprinter and a jumper, Liv has competed for the Cougars in the 100 and 200 meters, as well as the long jump and triple jump. Liv was born and raised in a Jewish household, where the importance of community connection was instilled in her. Entering college, Liv had three goals: connect with her roots, her community, and use that to find Jewish friends at the University. As a mental health advocate, Liv continues to make a difference in her community while serving on the executive board of the mental health club at the College of Charleston.
Meyer Shapiro is a Division I wrestler at Cornell University. Over his two seasons wrestling for the Big Red, he has finished fifth and third in the NCAA Championships. As a high school wrestler, he claimed a cadet world title in 2021, wrestling at 143lb. Meyer also won a state championship during his freshman year in Maryland and eventually became the #1 recruit in his class. After facing medical challenges earlier this year, Meyer is back in training and ready to again compete.
Alan Mashensky is a Division III basketball player at New York University. A forward, Mashensky appeared in five games for the Violets as a freshman but did not see action as a sophomore due to injury. Alan’s journey began with his parents emmigrating from the Soviet Union, where religion was ostracized. Despite this, his family maintained their Jewish faith, and the values of the religion were instilled in Alan from an early age. His passion for basketball stems from playing at various JCCs and the Maccabi Summer Games. This passion drove him to compete at a higher level, leading him to NYU, where he made the All-Academic Team in 2025.