Nike Covers The Hurricanes Head To Toe
Oct. 16, 2002
Coral Gables, Fla. (www.hurricanesports.com) – The University of Miami baseball team will chase its next College World Series title in all-Nike gear, beginning with the 2003 season.
The first collegiate baseball team to embrace Nike product and apparel head to toe, the Hurricanes will now take the field using the high-powered, high-performance Nike Hawk ScX baseball bat, Diamond Elite IV Nike batting gloves, Pro Gold fielding gloves and mitts, Pro Gold catching gear and batting helmets, and will continue to wear Nike uniforms and footwear, as they’ve done for the past six years.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for Nike and the University of Miami,” says Nike Collegiate Sports Marketing Director Kit Morris. “The Hurricanes are a team of outstanding student-athletes, proven winners and respected coaches. Consistently, they have ranked among the elite of collegiate baseball programs. We have long enjoyed our association with Miami Baseball and Nike is expanding our partnership to now completely outfit the team. Coach Jim Morris is not only a highly regarded coach, but also a true student of the game. “
Miami won national baseball championships in 1999 and 2001 under Morris’ leadership. A 25-year coaching veteran, Morris is in his 10th year as Miami head coach, and was named National Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2001 by both Collegiate Baseball and the American Baseball Coaches’ Association. He was also named Coach of the Year in 1994 by Baseball America.
“We’ve valued our relationship with Nike since the beginning,” Coach Morris said. “We’re a competitive team, but we’re never content to rest on our laurels, even with a national championship or two under our belts. It only means we have to work harder, and always be on the lookout for better product that gives us the edge on the diamond. The decision to use Nike gear didn’t come lightly. We’re tremendously enthusiastic about our partnership with Nike, and the level of performance product they bring to the game.”
In their quest for another collegiate title, the Hurricanes will take advantage of Nike’s new Hawk ScX scandium-alloy baseball bat that provides maximum performance at the plate. ScX is one of the industry’s highest-strength aluminum alloys. By utilizing ScX in Nike’s Rifle Bat Technology (RBT) manufacturing process, the walls of the bat are made thinner without sacrificing durability. This allows for greater flex of the barrel during ball-to-bat collision, returning the maximum amount of energy back to the ball for greater power and supreme performance.
Additionally, the RBT barrel has a longer profile, providing a wider sweet spot and a more balanced feel, allowing the hitter to swing the bat faster than with any other end-loaded bat on the market.
NIKE, Inc., based in Beaverton, Oregon, is the world’s leading designer and marketer of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly owned Nike subsidiaries include Bauer NIKE Hockey Inc., the world’s leading manufacturer of hockey equipment; Cole Haan®, which markets a line of high-quality men’s and women’s footwear, accessories and outerwear, and Hurley International LLC, which markets action sports and teen lifestyle apparel.
For more information on University of Miami athletics log on to its website www.hurricanesports.com, the official site for all Hurricane news, tickets, and apparel. For Hurricane ticket information call 1-800-GO CANES.
