For the first time, Topps has introduced a special Bowman U March Madness card series, capitalizing on its NIL agreements with a select group of collegiate athletes. This series, which marks a significant collaboration between Topps and the NCAA, was launched online through the Topps NOW platform on Monday.
Available for a limited time, this collection offers card packs featuring eight pieces, including one autograph card guaranteed in each pack. Among the athletes featured are Zach Edey, the men's Player of the Year from Purdue, and Caitlin Clark, the women's Player of the Year. Each pack, priced at $139.99, comprises the autographed card, six base cards, and a parallel card numbered to 99 or below. These exclusive packs can be purchased until Thursday directly from Topps' website, with dual autograph cards found in every tenth pack.
The lineup for this inaugural Bowman U NOW March Madness collection showcases a select group of 20 college basketball standouts who have signed on to be featured. The athlete list for the March Madness series includes:
Men's stars such as Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham from Kentucky, Tristen Newton and Stephon Castle from UConn, Cody Williams from Colorado, Dalton Knecht from Tennessee, Zach Edey from Purdue, Kyle Filipowski from Duke, Kevin McCullar Jr. from Kansas, and Armando Bacot from UNC.
Women's talents like Caitlin Clark from Iowa, Cameron Brink from Stanford, Aaliyah Edwards from UConn, Angel Reese and Mikaylah Williams from LSU, Georgia Amoore from Virginia Tech, Rickea Jackson from Tennessee, Hailey Van Lith from LSU, Hannah Hidalgo from Notre Dame, and Paige Bueckers from UConn.
Among the featured dual autographs are notable combinations such as Clark/Edey, Clark/Reese, Reese/Van Lith, and Sheppard/Dillingham.
This collaboration also signifies the limited time Topps has to produce Caitlin Clark cards before her exclusive deal with Panini America takes effect on April 1. Through its licensing agreement with the NCAA, Topps has been granted the rights to use March Madness logos and branding, hinting at further collaborative projects in the future.
Over the course of this season, Topps has released more than 120 Bowman U cards on its NOW platform, including 61 featuring collegiate basketball players. Caitlin Clark, highlighted in 13 different cards, has been the most featured college athlete to date. For the past two years, college athletes have also graced the traditional packs of Topps’ Bowman University line, enriching the sports card landscape with the excitement of collegiate competition.