UMBC Announces Under Armour As Official Outfitter Of Retriever Athletics

BALTIMORE- UMBC Athletics today announced that Under Armour, Inc., the Baltimore-based leader in athletic performance apparel, footwear, and accessories will be the official outfitter of Retriever Athletics through 2018.

Under Armour will outfit 17 of UMBC’s 19 varsity teams from head-to-toe including all game-day uniforms, training gear and footwear. UMBC’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving squads are the only two teams not covered by the agreement.

“I am very excited about the agreement with Under Armour as it ensures that Retriever Athletics will be wearing best-in-class athletic performance gear,” Director of Athletics Dr. Charles Brown said. “Feedback from our student-athletes has been overwhelmingly positive and we are looking forward to what is to come!”

UMBC’s new official outfitter agreement includes entitlements that will complement Under Armour’s marketing campaigns through venue presence and advertising at the university.  Those entitlements include signage at the RAC Arena, UMBC Stadium, Retriever Soccer Park, The Baseball Factory Field at UMBC, and the softball complex; print media advertising, online advertising on the official webpage of UMBC Athletics, www.umbcretrievers.com, and advertising via UMBC Athletics’ streaming site, www.umbcretrievers.tv.

“The new relationship with Under Armour is a tremendous advantage for our department,” Senior Associate Director of Athletics Gary Wohlstetter added.  “We are very proud to be associated with a hometown company right here in Baltimore. Under Armour is the leader in the athletic apparel industry when it comes to both performance and style.”

Coach Speak:

Co-Head Women’s Lacrosse Coach Amy Appelt

‘We are very excited about expanding our relationship with Under Armour.  They provide a great product for our student-athletes.  It’s very rewarding for one of the top up-and-coming universities in the country to partner with one of the most innovative athletic brands in the world, right here in Baltimore!”

Head Women’s Basketball Coach Phil Stern

“We are so excited to be on board with Under Armour. They are so innovative and creative and will help make our program even more visible. Our players and coaches are all thrilled with the new products we have already started to wear.”

Head Men’s Lacrosse Coach Don Zimmerman

“Our men’s lacrosse program is excited to expand our existing Under Armour partnership. We appreciate Under Armour’s support of our program and look forward to a longstanding relationship.”

The UMBC men’s soccer team will kick off its 2012 season vs. Radford University on Sat., August 25 at Retriever Soccer Park. The opener vs. the Highlanders is the first of 10 home games in a challenging 18-game schedule.

The Retrievers open with three games at home, welcoming VCU on Thurs., Aug. 30 and Robert Morris on Sat., Sept. 1. Those two contest are part of the Holiday Inn Express BWI Classic, which the Retrievers will co-host with Navy.

UMBC plays four of its next five games on the road, including a Sept. 11 date at Maryland, a squad that finished the 2011 campaign ranked ninth in the nation by the NSCAA. In their first meeting since 2000, the Retrievers and Terrapins played a memorable game in 2011, with the visitors prevailing, 4-3, in double overtime before a record crowd of 2,513 at Retriever Soccer Park.

“The last several years we have made a concentrated effort to make our schedule as tough as we can,” head coach Pete Caringi, Jr. said.
“Obviously, one of the highlights is to play at Maryland. Last year’s game here was a classic and I am sure it will be a great atmosphere down there and one that will help our players down the road.”

In that aforementioned span, the Retrievers face road challenges at George Mason (Sept. 15) and George Washington (Sept. 22). UMBC has not faced the Patriots since 2001 and the Colonials since 2004.

The lone home game in the five games is a Sept. 19 contest vs. Loyola (Md.). The Retrievers have another three-game homestand to follow, highlighted by the America East Conference opener vs. Vermont on Sat., Sept. 29.

Caringi’s squad follows the same pattern, with four of the nest five on the road, before concluding the regular season with back-to-back home games. UMBC welcomes Boston U. to Retriever Soccer Park in the lone afternoon home game of the season on Oct. 13. The game will begin at 3:00 p.m. as part of UMBC’s Homecoming Festivities.

After facing defending league champion Stony Brook in New York on Fri., Oct. 19, the Retrievers close out the 18-game slate with home games vs. league rivals Hartford (Oct. 24) and Binghamton (Oct. 27).

The six-team America East Tournament begins with quarterfinal action on Sat., Nov. 3.

“The league is really strong this season.” Caringi added. “Stony Brook had a great team in 2011 and has a lot of returning players, as do many of the teams in the conference. Every program seems to be on the rise and I feel America East will be one of the better conferences in the country this year.”

2012 UMBC Men’s Soccer

August
Sat. 25 Radford 7:00 p.m.;
Thu. 30 VCU ! 7:00 p.m.

September
Sat. 1  Robert Morris ! 7:00 p.m.
Fri. 7 at Mount St. Mary’s TBA
Tue. 11 at Maryland 7:30 p.m.
Sat. 15 at George Mason 7:00 p.m.
Wed. 19 Loyola (Md.) 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 22 at George Washington 3:00 p.m.
Tue. 25 La Salle 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 29 Vermont* 7:00 p.m.

October
Tue. 2  Howard 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 6 at UNH* 7:00 p.m.
Wed. 10 at Albany* 7:00 p.m.
Sat. 13 Boston U. $ *3:00 p.m.
Tue. 16 at Navy 7:00 p.m.
Fri. 19 at Stony Brook* 7:00 p.m.
Wed. 24 Hartford*  7:00 p.m.
Sat. 27 Binghamton* 7:00 p.m.

November
Sat., 3 at America East Champs TBD
Wed. 9 at America East Semifinals TBD
Sat./Sun. 12/13 at AEC Championship Game TBD

! Holiday Inn Express BWI Classic  $ Homecoming, *2012 America East contest

Notes: UMBC celebrates its tenth season in America East…The Retrievers have earned three consecutive berths in the league championships for the first time in their league tenure… The Retrievers have not faced Radford since 2000, when the Highlanders were also the season opener… UMBC won that contest, 4-2, at home, but trail, 5-4-0, in the all-time series… UMBC owns more victories (22) vs. Mount St. Mary’s than any other foe and 13-0-1 vs. the Mountaineers since 1998… The Retrievers defeated Maryland, 2-0, in the last meeting in College Park in 2000… UMBC’s first win of the season will be the 400th in school history (45 previous seasons)