UCONN BASKETBALL TEAM TO WEAR NIKE’S LIGHTEST BASKETBALL UNIFORM EVER – THE NIKE HYPER ELITE
New Huskie Uniform Is 70 Percent Lighter Than Traditional
BEAVERTON, Ore. (February 10, 2010) – On Wednesday, February 10, the University of Connecticut men’s basketball team will introduce the Nike Hyper Elite uniform – the lightest elite fit college basketball uniform Nike has ever designed.
UConn will be one of several teams in college hoops that will debut the Nike Hyper Elite uniforms this month, which celebrates the rich spirit, tradition and culture of the nation’s top basketball programs.
Paying tribute to the success and history of UConn basketball, Nike designers worked with the university to create a distinctive look for the Huskies. Inspired in part by the program’s two national championships, the UConn jerseys feature two stars, each one with the year, ’99 and ’04, in which the Men’s basketball team won national titles.
Three oak leaves and two acorns are placed at the top of the design, which represents the potential and the desire to grow toward perfection. The ceiling of the Business Building located on the campus, along with the establishment year of the university, 1881, represents the central focal point of the design. An image of UConn’s famed Husky mascot helps to complete the design.
UConn’s new uniforms incorporate several Nike innovations that were originally introduced in Beijing. The Hyper Elite uniforms take advantage of Nike Aerographics – an engineered mesh providing zoned cooling that reduces up to half the yarn, making the uniforms more lightweight and breathable.
Nike made specific adjustments to the jersey, eliminating 13 inches of material, while the use of Dri-FIT woven fabric in the short reduced its weight to make it Nike’s lightest ever.
Dri-FIT technical fabric is a moisture-wicking material that provides increased comfort and thermo regulation to help enable players to perform at their optimal level on the court. The Nike Hyper Elite uniform is also the fastest drying Nike short ever.
Completing the new elite fit for UConn is the Nike Pro Combat, an ergonomically designed base layer that provides basketball-specific protective padding without restricting mobility on the court.
About Nike
NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, 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 subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.nikebiz.com.
Technical Specifications of Nike HyperElite Uniforms:
Eight universities will debut in 2010 the Nike Hyperelite basketball uniform.
The EliteFit system, a jersey/short layered over a padded base layer, is designed to address the games’ increased physicality.
Aerographics relate team spirit and history in a breathable, lightweight graphical mesh innovation relevant to each school.
Aerographic technology
- Developed for the Beijing Olympics, engineered mesh provides zoned cooling
- Unnecessary fibers are removed, creating mesh that reduces up to half the yarn in jersey
- Comprehensive curation and school-specific design seamlessly integrated into lighter-weight garment
- Creates natural convection flow, drawing heat from back of the body
University Inspiration
- Three oak leaves and two acorns: representing potential and the desire to grow toward perfection
- National Championship Titles in 1999 and 2004
- Ceiling of UConn’s iconic Business Building
- Jonathan, UConn’s Husky mascot in honor of Jonathan Trumbull
- University’s 1881 establishment year
Material innovation
- Lightweight, quick-drying woven material of 6-ounce-short enables superior moisture management.
Cooling features
- Laser perforations allow for increased air flow, breathability
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