Michigan sprinter Ziyah Holman signs NIL deal with Naomi Osaka’s KINLÒ

Ziyah Holman, a three-time Gatorade Player of the Year and All-American sprinter at Michigan, inked a new NIL deal with tennis star and entrepreneur Naomi Osaka’s suncare brand KINLÒ. Other athletes involved in the company’s #GlowOutside social campaign include Deja Kelly (North Carolina women’s basketball), Reilyn Turner (UCLA women’s soccer), Robert Dillingham (Kentucky basketball commit) and Xolani Hodel (Stanford beach volleyball).

“I’m so excited to partner with these amazing student athletes to help spread awareness for our Glow Outside campaign,” Osaka stated in a press release. “As young, influential voices in the space, they are the perfect fit to help champion such an important initiative and as a brand, we couldn’t be prouder to empower and support NCAA athletes.”

Osaka is the first Asian tennis player to take the top spot in singles rankings. The 24-year-old phenom is a four-time Grand Slam singles champion with seven titles on the WTA Tour, plus multiple wins in both the U.S. Open and Australia Open. “KINLÒ” is a combination of the Japanese and Haitian Creole words for “gold” — a nod to Osaka’s multicultural heritage.

This partnership follows the brand’s move into retail with Walmart that placed the line of skin protection products in more than 2,500 locations across the United States. Osaka and KINLÒ are striving alongside student-athletes to educate communities on sun damage and advocate for preventative suncare for people with melanated skin.

Via kinlo.com: “Despite growing up on sun-soaked tennis courts, SPF was never top-of-mind for Naomi Osaka because she, like many others, assumed her melanin-rich skin was immune to sun damage. After learning the truth about the damage the sun inflicts on melanated skin, she set out on a mission to dispel old myths and educate others on proper sun protection. KINLÒ starts conversations about health risks for melanated skin tones and provides clean products designed to protect and nourish.

“By teaming up with dermatologists like Dr. Naana Boakye, Naomi’s mission for KINLÒ is to provide inclusive education on how to protect skin of all colors. Designed for Black and Brown skin tones, KINLÒ products are formulated with natural ingredients like jojoba seed oil, hemp seed, and green tea to address common melanated skin concerns. From blue light and sun protection, to healing and nourishment, KINLÒ products help you build a skin ritual to Stay Golden the right way.”

Holman is a Michigan record-holder in the 400 meter dash both indoors (52.55) and outdoors (51.25). During her collegiate career, the Hyattsville, Md. native has earned first-team All-American honors (2021 Indoor) as well as Big Ten titles in the 400 meter dash (2021 Indoor, 2021 Outdoor, 2022 Indoor) and distance medley relay (2022 Indoor).