Virginia Tech's Liz Kitley hosts cooking classes through Triumph NIL

Virginia Tech center Liz Kitley partnered with Gourmet Pantry & Cooking School in Blacksburg, Va., to co-host two cooking classes this week, including Wednesday night. Gourmet Pantry & Cooking School chef Roya Gharavi agreed to host the classes alongside Kitley through a name, image and likeness partnership that the sports marketing agency Triumph NIL facilitated.

This week’s classes mark the second and third times Kitley has co-hosted a cooking class at Gourmet Pantry & Cooking School. She previously hosted an event alongside Gharavi in January. The initial event was held during the season on a night when the Hokies didn’t have a game scheduled.

“At the events, the two will discuss, prepare and share healthy Mediterranean cuisine with ticket holders in attendance at the sold out events,” according to a news release. Before selling out, tickets for Wednesday night’s class were available for $120.

Virginia Tech men’s basketball player Sean Pedulla recently co-hosted a cooking class at Gourmet Pantry & Cooking School as Triumph NIL’s relationship with the business has expanded since Kitley’s initial class last winter.

Liz Kitley announced her return to Virginia Tech

Kitley recently announced she’ll return to Virginia Tech for her fifth-year senior season. She’s able to return to school after the NCAA granted an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the 2023 season, Kitley helped Virginia Tech earn its first-ever No. 1 seed. The Hokies reached the Final Four, where they fell to eventual national champion LSU, 79-72. Virginia Tech’s 31 wins last season were the most in a season in program history.

Liz Kitley averaged a double-double last season and she led the Hokies in both scoring and rebounding. She averaged 18.2 points and 10.7 rebounds per game while shooting 55.8 percent from the field. Kitley was named the ACC Player of the Year for the second season in a row and she earned second-team All-American honors.

Triumph NIL creates partnerships for Virginia Tech athletes

Triumph NIL recently celebrated its first anniversary as a sports marketing agency that its partners established to create partnerships for Virginia Tech athletes. Its partners include former Virginia Tech football players Kevin Jones, a running back who was selected in the first round of the NFL draft, and Brenden Hill. Robyn Jones, who’s married to Kevin Jones, serves as Triumph NIL’s COO.

Last week the sports marketing agency recently unveiled the Triumph Digital Network, where it connects Virginia Tech athletes with clients. The platform allows athletes to sell their merchandise. It’s also home to podcasts and other original content.

Triumph NIL has a roster of more than 60 athletes. The sports marketing agency’s partners hope to expand to the point that it signs an NIL agreement with any Virginia Tech athlete who wants to get involved with marketing partnerships.

The Triumph Digital Network could help the sports marketing agency increase its scale and scope, which is something the agency’s partners have wanted to do, particularly for the Virginia Tech women’s basketball team on the heels of its recent success.

“Ultimately, just in full transparency, I think we still have a lot of work to do for the women’s basketball team,” Hill told On3 in March, prior to the Final Four – when On3 analyzed the NIL infrastructure at each school – and before the rollout of the Triumph Digital Network. “It’s not for lack of want to or interest; it’s more we just needed time to build that infrastructure to help these young ladies be successful.”