Fitness & Sports Performance

*

Sports Medicine Launches NIL Program for Student-Athletes
February 23, 2023

Christian Ferman, a member of St. Luke's inaugural Name Image Likeness class. A Pocono Mountain West grad, he plays basketball at Virginia Commonwealth University.

St. Luke’s University Health Network’s Sports Medicine Department has created a comprehensive Name Image Likeness (NIL) program aimed at developing future leaders in our community and can now announce its inaugural class.

“Through hard work and determination, these individuals have proven to be exemplary student athletes and people who have a positive impact in our community,” says John Hauth, manager of Sports Medicine Relationships, St. Luke’s University Health Network. “After evaluating many prospects, their exceptional character, leadership and commitment to making an impact were obvious. We are excited to offer these impressive young people an opportunity to strengthen our Team and have a real impact in the community by extending to them an offer to become part of our inaugural Name Image Likeness class.”

What is NIL?

For years, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) used the name, image and likeness of college athletes to promote their athletic programs and drive revenue. The use of student-athlete’s NILs was not compensated, and student-athletes were not permitted to seek compensation for their NILs outside of official school-related activities. In 2021, the NCAA established an interim NIL policy allowing student-athletes to receive compensation for the use of their NIL outside of official school-related activities.

At St. Luke’s, NIL has opened the door of possibilities for high school and college athletes to make money while engaging in service activities and efforts focused on giving back to their communities.

St. Luke’s inaugural NIL class is:

NAME

HIGH SCHOOL

COLLEGE

SPORT

Najee Adams

Easton

Lafayette College

Football

Abe Atiyeh

Moravian Academy

Boston College

Basketball

Blake Barthol

Parkland

Coastal Carolina University

Baseball

Karam Chakif

Dieruff

Lehigh University

Wrestling

Maddison Darmstadt

Phillipsburg

Stonehill College

Field Hockey

Devyn Demchak

Northampton

Drexel University

Softball

Brynn Dreisbach

Parkland

West Chester University

Volleyball

Nate Ellis

Allen

DeSales University

Basketball

Sanaiya Ellis

Allen

NCACC

Basketball

Tyler Elsdon

North Schuylkill

Penn State University

Football

Christian Ferman

Pocono Mountain West

Virginia Commonwealth University

Basketball

Trevor Harris

Liberty

Lehigh University

Football

Riley Horoshko

Central Catholic

Temple University

Lacrosse

Justin Kanyuk

Bethlehem Catholic

University of North Carolina

Football

Jennifer Kokolus

Freedom

Holy Family University

Basketball

Chuck Kuczynski

Central Catholic

Syracuse University

Lacrosse

Jack McGorry

Central Catholic

St. Joseph’s University

Lacrosse

Brianna Moore

Palmerton

Duquesne University

Soccer

Ava Schaller

Parkland

Lehigh University

Soccer

Damon Simpson

Wilson

University of Connecticut

Track & Field

Brylee Tereska

Liberty

Bucknell University

Track & Field

Emily Vaughn

Central Catholic

Muhlenberg College

Basketball

 

All NIL athletes also receive access to our state-of-the-art sports performance facilities as well as training opportunities with our elite group of sports performance coaches: access to resources across our Network and through Network partners; career planning, leadership development, social media and community relations training with industry leaders. 

“During their experience with St. Luke’s, all NIL student-athletes will make personal public appearances at St. Luke’s and other community events, participate in clinics and other sports and learning opportunities, promote their activities through positive and interactive social media and participate in St. Luke’s student-athlete development program,” adds Tim McGorry, community ambassador, St. Luke’s Sports Medicine, Fitness and Performance. “This groundbreaking NIL program will provide a clear pathway for student-athletes from college into the professional world. As the Region’s Leader in Sports Medicine and a Top 100 Hospital nationally, we are excited to offer this next generation of leaders an opportunity to become part of our St. Luke’s Team.”