At Eruta Nature in the USC Village, sophomore forward Vivian Iwuchukwu didn’t immediately say yes to having a drink named after her.
“I was obviously thrilled,” Iwuchukwu said. “But it took me a while to really be all in… I was thinking, ‘How good is this drink going to be? Is it something I feel proud of?’”
That hesitation turned into full creative control. In partnership with Eruta Nature Cafe, Iwuchukwu helped create “Viv Matcha Madness,” a nod to USC women’s basketball’s fourth straight year in the NCAA Tournament. The matcha-based drink reflects her personality and signals a broader shift in college athletics, where athletes are building identities beyond their sport.
While basketball brought her to USC, Iwuchukwu said the collaboration gave her an opportunity to show who she is off the court.
“Basketball is a really big part of my life… but I feel like I’m so much more than basketball,” she said.
She credits that perspective to her mother’s advice.
“My mom always told me, ‘The ball will stop bouncing someday,’” Iwuchukwu said.
That mindset shaped how she approached the partnership, prioritizing authenticity over exposure.
“I feel like the first step is actually liking it yourself… being able to say, ‘I would drink this,’” she said. Unlike traditional endorsement deals, Iwuchukwu played a hands-on role in building the drink, from flavor selection to design. “I was super involved,” she said. “They asked me what flavors I liked… even down to the design and the color. I had a really big say in pretty much everything.”
The collaboration also carries a philanthropic component. Proceeds from the drink will support suicide prevention efforts through a student-led initiative benefitting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to not only work with an incredible athlete… but also give back to the community for such an important cause,” said Justin Solomon, owner and founder of Eruta Nature.
For Iwuchukwu, the cause added another personal layer to the project.
“Once I heard all the proceeds were going to suicide awareness… that’s something I’m very passionate about,” she said, referencing personal experiences involving friends.
The response from those around her has been immediate.
Her teammates, who already associate her with matcha, immediately embraced the idea, while her family saw it as a reflection of her personality off the court.
As name, image and likeness opportunities continue to expand, Iwuchukwu said she remains grounded in her role as both a student and an athlete, while recognizing her place in a larger shift in women’s sports.
“Women’s college basketball… is growing every single day," she said. “They’re selling out arenas… that’s something people wouldn’t have thought a few years back.”
Looking ahead, she hopes to continue building an identity beyond basketball, including pursuing a future in interior design, a career she said reflects her desire to create spaces that feel personal and meaningful.
For now, she sees “Viv Matcha Madness” as an extension of that vision.
“I got to design it myself… I just made it my own,” she said.