Howard University’s  Women’s Basketball has landed a NIL deal with Black Girl Vitamins. Black Girl Vitamins is a Black woman-focused wellness brand. The brand has entered into a multi-year partnership with the team, providing direct monetary sponsorship and essential vitamins to players and coaches.

“Since its inception, Black Girl Vitamins has been at the forefront of promoting health and wellness within the Black community, offering a range of vitamins tailored specifically for Black women’s nutritional requirements,” a news release states. “Furthering their commitment to education, a $1,000 monthly school scholarship is awarded to a deserving Black woman student. In addition to the monthly scholarship program, Black Girl Vitamins has committed to awarding up to $100,000 this year to advance the careers of Black health practitioners because when Black women are healthy, our communities are too.”

Howard University will soon celebrate 50 years of women’s athletics at the university. The women’s teams have earned the university nine MEAC regular season titles and 11 tournament championships over the past 50 years. Therefore, this deal couldn’t have come at a better time.

“I’m extremely excited about this partnership! As a huge supporter of those who positively impact the Black community and beyond, Black Girl Vitamins has created a brand and product that promotes health and well-being for us,” says Howard University-Bison head coach Ty Grace. “I look forward to the great things ahead!”

Howard University has been working towards NIL deals for students for some time now. Last September, Howard University alumni The Mecca Collective partnered with myNILpay to launch a NIL collection for athletes. The first-of-its kind partnership allows athletes to receive pay from fans and supporters directly through the digital platform, myNILpay. Which is in compliance with NCAA rules and regulations.

The goal of The Mecca Collective is to present Howard University athletes with financial opportunities that were unavailable due to previous NIL laws. This partnership is a great way for students to earn money playing the sports they love. It is also a great opportunity for them to learn about their earning potential and value as student athletes.

“By launching the University’s marquee NIL collective, we are going to further enhance our student-athletes’ NIL earning potential, and with the help of myNILpay, our diehard fanbase and alumni network now has an effortless platform to support their Bison family,” said Eric Grant, who serves as a Board Member of The Mecca Society NIL Collective, in the statement. “This is only the beginning, but it’s clear that our student-athletes have as bright of a future as any in college athletics. We strongly encourage all Bison fans to support our student-athletes through the myNILpayapp.”

The recent change in NCAA rules and regulations allowing NIL partnerships has caused a major shift in the world of collegiate sports, especially for HBCUs. Partnerships with brands such as Black Girl Vitamins and myNILpay can potentially lead to NIL deals for student-athletes at other HBCUs as well.