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DOWAGIAC — Southwestern Michigan College has signed an agreement with Adidas America, Inc. to be the primary outfitter for its recently-revived intercollegiate athletics program.

At a special meeting last September, the SMC Board of Trustees unanimously authorized the administration to pursue the return of National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) men’s and women’s cross country for the fall of 2021.

The NJCAA approved SMC’s return to intercollegiate athletics, and in May of this year, the board authorized the revival of men’s basketball, women’s basketball, volleyball and wrestling for Fall 2022.

In addition to hiring an athletics staff, undertaking a major renovation of the gymnasium facilities in the Charles O. Zollar Building and recruiting new teams of student-athletes, SMC recently redesigned its Roadrunner mascot logo and will need to refresh all of its equipment and uniforms in the coming months.

“All things considered, Adidas provided the best combination of value, performance and style for our student-athletes,” said Mike O’Brien, VP for Institutional Advancement. “The company is a trusted partner of the NJCAA and puts a priority on working with colleges and universities of all sizes throughout the country. We’ve been pleased with their service so far and look forward to working with them.”

SMC’s arrangement will not require every piece of apparel worn by student-athletes to be the Adidas brand. Participants will have some flexibility with choice of shoes, for instance, and if certain pieces of gear are preferable for a particular sport, exceptions may be made.  “However, Adidas is our preferred provider and that brand will comprise the majority of our uniforms,” O’Brien said.

Fans and members of the community can find official SMC Roadrunners Adidas gear at southwesternmich.itemorder.com/ or at swmichgear.merchorders.com/.