INDIANA, Pa. – The Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Athletic Department agreed to a multi-year exclusive partnership with BSN SPORTS and Nike beginning with the 2019-20 season, IUP Director of Athletics
Todd Garzarelli announced Wednesday.
"Today is a special day as we make the announcement of our partnership with BSN SPORTS and Nike," Garzarelli said. "Anytime that we can reinvest back into our student-athletes and coaches is a special day. Partnering with BSN and Nike align our brands with one of the most powerful brands in all of sports."
The agreement between IUP and BSN SPORTS is for five years and makes Nike the official athletic apparel, footwear, accessory and equipment brand for all 19 Crimson Hawks' varsity sports.
IUP teams that already feature the Nike brand include football and women's basketball, who have a combined three national semifinalist appearance in the last two years.
"This agreement with Indiana University of Pennsylvania affirms our highest aspirations for BSN's Collegiate Select program: delivering elite, customized products and services to our college customers," Todd Northrop, BSN SPORTS Collegiate Select Vice President added. "We are excited to partner with Crimson Hawks to elevate the performance and impact of their top-notch and growing athletic program. Additionally, we can't wait to get to know all of the coaches associated with this great program and work tirelessly to put time back into their day so they can spend more time impacting lives on the field of play."
About IUP Athletics
IUP offers 19 varsity sports, including 11 women's and eight men's teams, that compete in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) as part of NCAA Division II. The Crimson Hawks showcased several team and individual success in 2018-19 with 13 teams earning postseason berths while eight advanced to the NCAA championship level. Individually, IUP student-athletes combined for 12 All-American honors.
Academically, IUP teams combined for a 3.21 cumulative grade point average, with 18 teams posting at least a 3.0.
About BSN SPORTS
BSN SPORTS is the leading marketer, manufacturer and distributor of sporting goods apparel and equipment. A division of Varsity Brands, BSN SPORTS markets and distributes its products to over 100,000 institutional and team sports customers in colleges and universities, middle and high schools, and recreational programs throughout the United States via catalog, e-commerce, and direct sales. Focused on providing game changing solutions through local partnerships, multi-brand selection and one-stop shopping for equipment and uniforms, BSN SPORTS' more than 3,000 employees have been helping elevate participation in team sports since 1972. For more information about BSN SPORTS please visit www.bsnsports.com.
About Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc., based near Beaverton, Ore., is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike, Inc. subsidiary brands include Converse, which designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Hurley, which designs, markets and distributes surf and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, Nike, Inc.'s earnings releases and other financial information are available at
http://investors.nike.com. Individuals can also visit
http://news.nike.com/ and follow @Nike.
What They're Saying
Brenna Gallagher, Women's Lacrosse Coach
"I am very excited that the IUP athletic department is signing on with Nike and BSN Sports. Teaming up with Nike will give all our teams the opportunity to have a unified look and brand that I believe everyone in IUP Athletics has been hoping for. I am eager to hear the positive responses from our student-athletes and can't wait to see how great IUP lacrosse looks on the field in 2020!"
Dan Braun, Men's Golf Coach
"IUP Golf is very excited to partner with Nike. With many of the most popular golfers on the PGA Tour wearing this iconic symbol, it is a great advantage to the program to have this relationship with the most recognizable compnay in sports."
Tom McConnell, Women's Basketball Coach
"I think this is a great day for IUP Women's Basketball and IUP Athletics, knowing that our players and all our athletes are going to be wearing, in my opinion, the best brand that sports has to offer. We have worn Nike for the last six years and our players love the look and feel of the gear. I am very proud to present this relationship that we are going to have."
Paul Tortorella, Football Coach
"We are happy to have the partnership with BSN and Nike, obviously the number one apparel company out there. For Division II athletics, we feel that IUP is one of the top 10 programs in all athletics."
Renee Wall, PSAC Central Softball Athlete of the Year
"I'm really excited to see what the future holds for IUP and Nike."
Dylan Ruefle, Cross Country Student-Athlete
"IUP cross country is very excited about this partnership because Nike is always at the cutting edge of sports equipment and apparel. I can't wait to see what the future holds."
