After 11 seasons, two Final Four appearances and one national championship, the Terrapin men’s basketball jersey heads to the closet permanently in favor of a new, tighter-fitting uniform designed by Nike.
The new uniforms, part of Nike’s “System of Dress” college basketball jersey design, are comprised of a lighter, form-fitting top and long loose-fitted shorts that will be unveiled Oct. 12 during Maryland Madness.
“Part of being a good team is the way you look when you take the floor, when you are playing,” said coach Gary Williams, who made the decision to switch. “It’s a more modern look; I think they look great.”
While the personally-fitted shirts may appear dramatically different from the baggy mesh uniforms introduced prior to the 1996-1997 season, many of the same features will remain.
The same red script “Maryland” with identical font will appear on the front of the jersey, and the familiar black and yellow trim will run down the back of the jersey, bordering the name and number of the player.
“Our whole motto is to respect the past but represent the future,” said Martin Newton, a spokesman for Nike. “We still have the same design features like the state flag on the shorts, we didn’t want to get too far from the design since it’s such a significant design. Inevitably, it’s the Maryland brand that has to stick out, that’s why there’s only one Nike logo on the uniform.”
Four schools – Florida, Ohio State, Arizona and Syracuse – tried out the uniforms during conference tournament play last season. As one of Nike’s “Elite” schools – sponsored programs which have been to the Final Four in the past ten years – Maryland was given the opportunity to wear the uniform this season.
Nike, which also designed the previous uniform, consulted Williams and let the players see the new uniforms before ultimately going ahead with the process.
According to Newton, the new uniforms don’t just look better, but will help the players on the court as well.
“When you watch games you’ll see the arm holes are stretched back and the neck lines are saggy when a player pulls it down to wipe his chin, so we wanted to make it look like more of a tailored fit so it fits better,” Newton said. “If it fits better [the players] will perform better.”
Student reaction to the uniform switch is mixed. Sophomore kinesiology major Daniel Levine said he doesn’t like the new look.
“I feel that if you change the jersey, you change a little part of Maryland basketball history,” Levine said. “Last year, I saw the new Nike jersey on other teams and I was not a fan.”
Sophomore business major Mike Pollhammer said he is more open to the change.
“I’d have to see them in person, but I like that style of jersey,” Pollhammer said. “They are a little more modern.”
Freshman business major Matt Liguori said the players, not the uniforms, are what matter in the end.
“Either way you look at it, Maryland basketball is going to be Maryland basketball,” Liguori said. “I don’t care what they are wearing as long as they win.”
While student reactions were mixed, the decision rested in the hands of Williams. He said there was no hesitation on his part to adopt the new uniform, even though it meant leaving behind the jersey attached to the memory of players such as Juan Dixon, Steve Blake and Keith Booth.
“The game keeps changing, players keep changing, coaches change,” Williams said. “You have to stay current and this is what’s hot right now.”
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