WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace College’s athletic department is excited to announce a historic partnership with Zimmer Biomet.
On Wednesday, Zimmer Biomet finalized a three-year partnership with Grace College for an exclusive uniform sponsorship. For the next three years, a Zimmer Biomet logo patch will be featured on all of Grace’s varsity athletic uniforms, including home, away and alternate uniforms.
Wednesday’s announcement marks the first publicly announced uniform sponsorship deal for any college in the United States.
The NAIA, which was also the first athletic organization to pass Name, Image and Likeness legislation, is the first college sports association to allow sponsor logos on uniforms during competition. The legislation was passed during April’s meeting of the NAIA’s National Administrative Council.
“We are thrilled and grateful to announce this partnership between Grace and Zimmer Biomet,” said Grace President Dr. Drew Flamm. “As far as we know this marks the first uniform sponsorship deal for any college in the United States. Zimmer Biomet has been an innovative and inspiring organization in our community, and we are thankful they have chosen to invest in our student-athlete experience.”
Grace College and Zimmer Biomet have enjoyed a strong connection within the community for decades. The company has been based locally in Warsaw, Ind., since its start in 1927. The orthopedic giant generated over $7.3 billion last year and has been consistently recognized as a Fortune 500 company.
“This partnership just makes sense for us,” Jim Lancaster, President, Recon and Global Headquarters Executive Director, stated. “We want to support our community, and we know some of our best team members historically have been former Grace College athletes. We hope many more of these excellent student-athletes stay and make a difference in our community.”
Grace’s athletic department has enjoyed rapidly growing success at the conference and national levels. The Lancers own 20 national championships – 18 of which have come since 2019.
“We are grateful for our partnership in the community with Zimmer Biomet. The innovative thinking by the NAIA continues to allow member institutions to create new revenue streams that will enhance the student-athlete experience,” said Grace Director of Athletics Chad Briscoe. “Zimmer Biomet has always been a great partner in our community, and they have been very supportive of Grace College. We look forward to growing this athletic partnership for years to come at Grace.”
About Grace College
Grace College is an accredited, Christ-centered institution of higher education located in the picturesque lakeside town of Winona Lake, Ind. Affiliated with Charis Fellowship, Grace College was founded in 1948. Today, Grace offers more than 100 majors, minors, certificates, and graduate programs through both on-campus and online delivery methods. Nearly all Grace College bachelor’s degrees can be completed in three years, and students can earn a bachelor’s and master’s in four total years through an accelerated degree program. Grace also has a ministry training center in Akron, Ohio. For more information, visit www.grace.edu. To explore Grace’s athletic website, visit www.gclancers.com.
About Zimmer Biomet
Zimmer Biomet is a global medical technology leader with a comprehensive portfolio designed to maximize mobility and improve health. We seamlessly transform the patient experience through our innovative products and suite of integrated digital and robotic technologies that leverage data, data analytics and artificial intelligence.
With 90+ years of trusted leadership and proven expertise, Zimmer Biomet is positioned to deliver the highest quality solutions to patients and providers. Our legacy continues to come to life today through our progressive culture of evolution and innovation.
For more information about our product portfolio, our operations in 25+ countries and sales in 100+ countries or about joining our team, visit www.zimmerbiomet.com or follow Zimmer Biomet on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zimmerbiomet.