Electrolit launches first NIL campaign, led by Houston basketball's Jamal Shead

The Houston-focused NIL collective LinkingCoogs is ushering another brand into college sports.

Headquartered in Houston, Electrolit has inked NIL deals with four Houston athletes, headlined by reigning American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year Jamal Shead.

Electrolit inked agreements with Shead, point guard Laila Blair, outside hitter Kenna Sauer and goalkeeper Mikaela Gracia. The full terms of the contracts were not released.

“Sponsored by Electrolit, I’ve found more than just a brand; I’ve found a trusted ally in my journey as an athlete,” Shead said in a statement. “Their dedication to providing top-tier hydration and recovery products perfectly complements my commitment on the court and in my daily life.”

The NIL campaign is one of the company’s first moves to work with athletes in the Houston community. Found in a range of stores including Walmart, Kroger, HEB, Jewel-Osco, Circle K and 7-Eleven, the drink provides electrolytes and ions.

“We’re excited to embark on this journey with the University of Houston student-athletes as they
take on the next chapter of their sporting careers,” Electrolit marketing director Jake Sloan said. “At Electrolit, we see our role as more than just hydration – it’s about being a part of the story, helping to write the next chapter in sports excellence. It’s important that Electrolit is on hand to help nurture tomorrow’s athletes on and off the court.”

LinkingCoogs builds strong program for Houston hoops

Back in March, the Houston-focused collective had facilitated more than $2 million in NIL deals. That number has since surpassed $5 million and is now approaching $5.5 million. 

With the jump to the Big 12, Houston basketball has had to compete in the ever-evolving NIL landscape. While the University of Houston does have a school-specific NIL marketplace with Opendorse, LinkingCoogs has become the largest deal facilitator for Cougar athletics. Austin Elrod, Troy Kyle, Norman Stalarow and Greg Ralph founded the venture, bringing on Landon Goesling to help run the operation. 

Goesling was formerly both a Houston guard and grad assistant. Athletes are compensated by partnerships procured by the collective. On LinkingCoogs’ website, businesses can fill out a form to set up an NIL deal. 

The formula has worked. The same format by LinkU is now in use at Florida Atlantic, Texas State, North Texas and the College of Charleston. More schools are expected to be announced in the coming week. 

Now Electrolit has joined the batch of brands working with the Houston-focused NIL collective.

Jamal Shead’s growing NIL brand

Houston basketball opened its season on Monday night, picking up an 84-31 win over Louisiana-Monroe. Shead played 18 minutes, finishing with five points, eight assists and four rebounds. The guard could have been drafted this past spring, but he opted to return for another season.

He started 37 games a year ago for the Cougars, forming one of the nation’s top backcourts with Marcus Sasser. Houston debuted at No. 7 in the preseason AP poll. LJ Cryer and Damian Dunn also transferred into the program, both averaging 15+ points per game last year at Baylor and Temple, respectively.

Shead has a $170,000 On3 NIL Valuation, ranking in the top 60 of the college basketball NIL rankings. With nearly 40,000 followers, he’s worked extensively with LinkingCoogs and local Houston businesses including Little Woodrow’s, Hawaiian Bros and BB’s Tex-Orleans.

The valuation is the industry’s leading index that sets the standard market NIL value for high school and college athletes. A proprietary algorithm, the On3 NIL Valuation calculates an athlete’s NIL value using dynamic data points targeting three primary categories: performance, influence and exposure.

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