Surviving in track and field without sponsorships is a struggle that even NCAA champion runners like Lindsey Butler know very well.  The middle distance athlete, who won the 2022 NCAA Indoor 800m title and earned six First-Team All-American awards, entered her post-collegiate career without a sponsor. Now, ahead of the 2026 U.S. Outdoor Championships, she shared her financial struggles as an unsponsored athlete with Citius Mag.

“The decisions of what meets to go to, that’s been a pretty tough decision to make as an unsponsored athlete. I am funding this hobby, for all intents and purposes, because if it’s a job I’d be making money off of it. I have to think more about if I want to go to this big meet in LA where it’s probably going to cost me $1K-2K, I’m gonna have to take time off of work, I’m gonna have to figure out how to work remotely while I’m there. The travel has definitely been a lot more stressful, especially coming from the NCAA where all that stuff is planned out.”

Butler is also working as an industrial engineer at Moog Inc., so that means competition often requires her to take time off to work. Now, before this year’s U.S. Outdoor Championships, Butler was announced as the first athlete featured in Bandit’s Unsponsored Project series. Speaking with Citius Mag about the transition from college athletics to the professional ranks, Butler admitted that one of the biggest challenges has been funding.

 Aside from this, Lindsey Butler now faces another challenge: Staying healthy.

Shortly after winning the 2022 NCAA Indoor 800m title, she developed a stress fracture in the second metatarsal. She was forced to miss the entire 2022 outdoor season due to the injury. At that time, costs associated with elite competition were covered by the University. But now, Butler has to do all that by herself. Physical therapy appointments, massage therapy, recovery tools, and supplements all come directly out of her own pocket, as she revealed in the interview.

“Since I am paying for any medical care that I choose to get, I really have to think very seriously about what kind of care do I need.”

For Butler, staying healthy is about more than simply remaining competitive. It is about staying afloat in the sport she loves.

“Ultimately, I’m in a position where, if I do get injured, my chances of getting sponsored at all tank down to zero.”

Yet Butler’s stellar resume raises questions about sponsorship criteria.

Lindsey Butler’s impressive resume doesn’t guarantee her sponsorships

Lindsey Butler’s journey in track and field has been anything but ordinary. Growing up in Corning, New York, she discovered her talent for running during high school. At Corning-Painted Post High School, Butler became a state-level standout. In 2019, she won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) outdoor 800m title with a school-record time of 2:06.88 and claimed the New York State indoor 600m championship in 1:30.00, eventually earning her a spot at Virginia Tech.

Butler’s biggest achievement at Virginia came in 2022, when she won the NCAA Indoor 800m title in 2:01.37, becoming Virginia Tech’s first NCAA champion in the women’s 800m.

Lindsey Butler left her mark on the Virginia Tech record books. She set the record for the indoor 800m distance at the ACC Championships with a time of 2:01.23, clinching gold. In 2025, her last season in college, Butler added another First-Team All-America accolade by recording a time of 4:10.79 in the women’s 1500m final.

Earlier that season, she ran a personal best of 4:09.88 in the 1500m before later improving that mark to 4:06.28 after her collegiate career. Outside of athletics, Butler also excelled academically. She earned a degree in engineering and later completed a master’s degree in Information Technology. So why has an athlete with Butler’s achievements not secured a sponsorship deal?

The answer is not simple. In track and field, sponsorship decisions are not based only on college achievements. Brands often consider professional results, international exposure, championship appearances, marketability, and future potential when deciding which athletes to support. These factors likely explain why elite college credentials alone don’t guarantee pro sponsorship. While Lindsey Butler remains without backing, this has not stopped her from competing, though she now has to give it much more consideration than she used to, as any complications will hurt her financial stability.