A sophomore forward on UCLA women’s soccer team has made history.
Reilyn Turner, the 2020 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, has agreed to a name, image and likeness deal with Nike. She will become the company's first college student athlete sponsorship.
Turner, a 19-year-old native of Aliso Viejo, Calif., finished with 10 goals in her second season with the Bruins which led to second-team All-Pacific-Region and All-Pac-12 honors.
“As a Black woman and Mexican American, I think about those who have paved the way for me and how they used their platforms to create so much change, even beyond sport,” Turner said in a statement. “I hope to be a role model for those around me and those after me, and I’m so excited to be a part of what Nike is bringing to the future of women’s sport.”
In addition to her skills on the pitch, Nike said it tapped Turner for this historic deal because the young soccer star wants to give back to the local Los Angeles community by working with nonprofit partners to create opportunities for young soccer players and other female athletes.
“Whether it’s the community you grow up with or the community you grow into, there’s so much positive impact that can come from how they influence you and how you influence them,” Turner said in a statement.
