The university’s sports teams are one year into a partnership with Under Armour to supply sports teams with gear, and athletes say they approve.

Sophomore Dominic Pizzi, goalie for the men’s soccer team, said the team received practice attire and game gear, and he received goalie gloves to use as well.

“It’s more of a high quality gear,” Pizzi said.

Pizzi said he particularly likes the gloves because they are thicker and provide better protection.

Athletic Director Chuck Edkins worked with Under Armour representative out of suburban Philadelphia as well as Battaglias Sporting Goods in Scranton, which is the supplier, to try to give student athletes the best experience possible, Edkins said.

“[Company representatives] came to us, and they had done some research on us, which I liked. They knew about our service that our student athletes do, and they understand the mission about Misericordia,” said Edkins.

Edkins explained he had declined offers from other companies prior to the deal. Edkins said Under Armour representatives knew about more than the success student athletes were having on the field. He said representatives asked the right questions, including inquiries about students’ academic successes, which Edkins said was very easy to talk about because athletes have maintained a GPA above 3.0 for 27 years.

Each coach had individual relationships with providers before the partnership. Edkins said loyalty is important, which is why switching to a large corporation was a little difficult.

He said the company originally sought a five year deal with Misericordia, but Edkins refused and offered a three year deal to see how it goes, he said.

There has yet to be any negative feedback from players, coaches and recruits.  Under Armour and Battaglia’s have done a good job of living up to their side of their deal, Edkins said

Under Armour also became a major sponsor of the Misericordia golf tournament,  providing monetary donations and gift baskets, and the company provides gear to donors of the Cougar Club, the school’s fundraising organization. The more donors give, the more gear they receive.

Under Armour may also play a campus role outside of athletics in the future. Students may see Residence Life and Metz Culinary staff donning Under Armour gear, Edkins said.