Virginia Tech Basketball Star Kitley Uses NIL for Autism Awareness

Elizabeth Kitley and sister Raven create custom NIL merchandise to give back to the Virginia Tech Autism Clinic

Noah Henderson | Feb 24, 2024

Virginia Tech Basketball Star Kitley Uses NIL for Autism Awareness /

Virginia Tech basketball standout Elizabeth Kitley is known for her dominance on the basketball court. Playing in what seems to be the golden age of women’s college basketball, Kitley, the twice reigning ACC player of the year, often does not receive the flowers she deserves.

Her accomplishments on the court are too long to name, and in the classroom, she has been equally as successful, being named the Kay Yow Scholar Athlete of the Year in the previous two seasons. For both her ACC POY and Kay Yow Scholar Athlete honors, a three-peat this year seems more than plausible.

For Kitley it does not stop there, outside of the court and the classroom, she is also making waves with her philanthropy.

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A post shared by NIL Store for Virginia Tech Athletes (@maroonandorange.nil.store)

Campus Ink’s NIL Store continues to partner with incredible student-athletes to promote meaningful NIL partnerships. Offering marketplaces for university and player licensed NIL merchandise, the NIL Store has engaged many fanbases to help athletes make their cut of merchandise sales. Lately, through their online storefronts, they have empowered student-athletes through limited edition merchandise that enable them to give back to charitable organizations of their choosing.

Kitley has teamed up with the Virginia Tech NIL store to create custom Hokie merchandise for her sister Raven who is a die-hard Hokies women’s basketball fan. Raven, who has autism, shares an incredibly strong bond with her sister and was integral in Elizabeth’s ultimate decision to attend Virginia Tech as a highly touted recruit. From the first visit it was clear just how important not only Elizabeth was to the Virginia Tech staff, but her sister as well.

The Virginia Tech Womens' Basketball team has adopted Raven into the program, and she has wonderful relationships with many of the coaches and players. Beyond the team, Raven is a large part of the Hokie nation. The team has previously honored Raven during their Autism Awareness game and through this partnership will continue to show her support.

A portion of all proceeds from the sale of this merchandise will go to Virginia Tech Autism Clinic.

The power of this sisterly bond will undoubtedly go towards positive change in the Blacksburg community.

Published Feb 24, 2024

NOAH HENDERSON

Professor Noah Henderson teaches in the sport management department at Loyola University Chicago. Outside the classroom, he advises companies, schools, and collectives on Name, Image, and Likeness best practices. His academic research focuses on the intersection of law, economics, and social consequences regarding college athletics, NIL, and sports gambling. Before teaching, Prof. Henderson was part of a team that amended Illinois NIL legislation and managed NIL collectives at the nation’s most prominent athletic institutions while working for industry leader Student Athlete NIL. He holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana-Champaign and a Bachelor of Economics from Saint Joseph’s University, where he was a four-year letter winner on the golf team. Prof. Henderson is a native of San Diego, California, and a former golf CIF state champion with Torrey Pines High School. Outside of athletics, he enjoys playing guitar, hanging out with dogs, and eating California burritos. You can follow him on Twitter: @NoahImgLikeness.