WEST PALM BEACH, Fla., Feb. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- U.S. Polo Assn., the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), will outfit competitive collegiate polo players for the fifth consecutive year through its nationwide Collegiate Partnership Program (CPP) for the 2023 Collegiate Polo Season.
A total of 29 colleges have signed up to participate in U.S. Polo Assn.'s annual CPP, representing 47 collegiate teams with 28 women's and 19 men's teams. Enrollment for the sports enrichment program is open to all colleges and universities with a USPA-sanctioned polo team and lasts for one academic year. Teams in the program range from East Coast to West Coast and include small private and large public institutions, as well as Ivy Leagues and Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs). New schools joining the program this year include Grossmont College and Middle Tennessee State University.
Participating Schools Include:
| Cal Poly State University | Oregon State University | University of California Davis | University of South Carolina Aiken |
| Colorado State University | Skidmore College | University of California Santa Barbara | University of Virginia |
| Grossmont College | St. Edwards University | University of Colorado | University of Wisconsin- Madison |
| Michigan State University | Stanford University | University of Idaho | Virginia Tech University |
| Middle Tennessee State University | Texas A&M University | University of Kentucky | Yale University |
| Montana State University | Texas Christian University | University of Massachusetts | |
| Morehouse College | Texas Tech University | University of Michigan | |
| Oklahoma State University | Trinity University | University of North Texas |
Through this program, U.S. Polo Assn. will provide student-athletes with complete game attire that includes customized performance team jerseys, white performance pants, polo shirts, caps and equipment gear bags. A monetary donation is also given to the teams, which can be used for travel or other expenses.
For the first time, a USPA Pro item will be donated to all student-athletes. The USPA Pro performance products are designed in collaboration with professional polo players. There will also be a "Collegiate Social Media Contest" where teams will have the opportunity to win additional prizes for their creative social media posts.
Sanctioned by the USPA, collegiate polo teams compete in the Fall and Spring with the official season beginning September 2022 and running through April 2023. This season will conclude with the National Intercollegiate Championship (NIC) hosted at the Virginia Polo Center in Charlottesville, VA, from April 10-15, 2023. The Men's and Women's NIC Finals will air on ESPNU on April 15, 2023. Check your local listings for game times.
"U.S. Polo Assn. is proud to continue our support of student-athletes across the country through our Collegiate Partnership Program because these athletes are the future of the game," said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global Licensing, which manages the global, multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. "As the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), we want to continue growing and building our authentic connection to the sport of polo, and the Collegiate Partnership Program, now in its fifth year, is one of our most rewarding programs."
An exciting new addition for student-athletes this season was the implementation of the College Polo Tour. This exchange program between America and Argentina supported 21 collegiate polo players on a seven-day trip to Argentina for the opportunity to compete in both grass polo and arena polo, tour the renowned Ellerstina Polo Club, attend one of the heart-stopping Argentine Polo Open Semi-Finals and more. Players from Yale University, Harvard University, Cornell University, and Georgetown University, alongside other Argentinean polo players, had the opportunity to experience this program in November 2022.
"We are excited to continue our partnership with U.S. Polo Assn. and all of the amazing opportunities available to our student-athletes," said Liz Brayboy, Chair of the USPA's Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Committee. "We look forward to an exciting 2022/2023 Collegiate Polo Season and are grateful to have the support of the official brand of the United States Polo Association for these important polo programs across the United States."
About U.S. Polo Assn.
U.S. Polo Assn. is the official brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the non-profit governing body for the sport of polo in the United States and one of the oldest sports governing bodies, having been founded in 1890. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through some 1,100 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores and thousands of department stores as well as sporting goods channels, independent retailers and e-commerce, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel for men, women, and children, as well as accessories and footwear in more than 190 countries worldwide. U.S. Polo Assn. was named in the top five sports licensors in 2022, according to License Global. Visit uspoloassnglobal.com and follow @uspoloassn.
About the United States Polo Association® (USPA)
The United States Polo Association was organized and exists for the purposes of promoting the game of polo, coordinating the activities of its Member Clubs and Registered Players, arranging and supervising polo tournaments, competitions and games, and providing rules, handicaps, and conditions for those tournaments, competitions, and games including the safety and welfare of participants and mounts. Founded in 1890, the USPA is the national governing body for the sport of polo. The USPA is currently comprised of almost 200 member clubs with thousands of individual members and oversees 40 national tournaments. For more information, please visit uspolo.org.
Contact Information:
Shannon Stilson
VP, Sports Marketing & Media
sstilson@uspagl.com
+001.561.227.6994
Stacey Kovalsky
Senior Director, Global Communications
skovalsky@uspagl.com
+001.561.790.8036
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Image 1: U.S. Polo Assn.
U.S. Polo Assn.
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