St. Elizabeth Healthcare is thrilled to announce a Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) partnership with Kentucky women’s basketball star Maddie Scherr in support of the St. Elizabeth Sports Medicine Services and ACL Injury Prevention Program. 

“We’re committed to student-athletes on and off the field and court. This partnership reflects that commitment,” says Matt Hollenkamp, vice president of marketing and public relations at St. Elizabeth Healthcare. “Maddie is a hometown athlete and someone we’ve loved following throughout her high school career at Ryle and her college career.” 

This partnership is an extension of St. Elizabeth Healthcare’s current efforts to support student-athletes. In 2021, the system’s Athletic Training Outreach Department provided athletic training services to support 29 high schools, 10 middle schools, Northern Kentucky University, and Thomas More University. 

“I’m so excited to return home and play for Kentucky,” says Scherr. “It means a lot to partner with St. Elizabeth because they do so much work to support student-athletes in high school and beyond. I’m proud to be part of that effort in making sure young athletes stay healthy.” 

The NIL partnership with Scherr is inherently local, according to Hollenkamp. “The relationships we form with student-athletes through our sports medicine program are special, which is why we’re starting this new program using NIL to showcase top athletes from our partner high schools and universities who are now at the collegiate level,” he says. 

Scherr, who is returning to her home state of Kentucky after spending two seasons with the University of Oregon, played high school basketball at Ryle High School in Union, Kentucky. Scherr was a McDonald’s All-American, Kentucky Miss Basketball, and Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year in 2020. As a junior in 2019, Scherr led the Ryle Raiders to a state championship. 

Keeping student-athletes healthy is critical to the mission of St. Elizabeth sports medicine services. The system brings a network of more than 50 athletic trainers who work with partner physicians and rehabilitation specialists to get every student-athlete back in the game as safely and as soon as possible. 

“We know it’s important to help keep our athletes competing on the field and court through injury prevention,” says Hollenkamp. “Student-athletes like Maddie are role models who help deliver and reinforce this message of injury prevention. They know what it takes and how St. Elizabeth has impacted their life, their sports training, and staying healthy.” 

In particular, the ACL Injury Prevention Program, geared toward high school and college athletes, uses stretches, plyometrics, agility drills and education for athletes to compete safely and reduce the risk of an ACL injury. 

Scherr is the inaugural partner athlete with St. Elizabeth and Hollenkamp anticipates bringing more athletes into the fold. “We’re looking forward to continuing to grow this program and support even more student-athletes in 2023 and beyond.”