Westminster College Signs Partnership with Nike, BSN SPORTS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fulton, Mo. – September 1, 2023: Westminster College announced today it has established a new agreement with Nike and BSN SPORTS, the nation’s largest direct marketer and distributor of sporting goods to the school and league markets, and a division of Varsity Brands. Through this partnership, BSN SPORTS will serve as the official apparel and equipment provider for the Blue Jays Athletic program, while outfitting the College’s athletes and coaches in premier Nike product.
The partnership will debut across Westminster College’s 18 men’s and women’s teams competing in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) and Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). Blue Jay student-athletes and the extended College community, including Westminster alumni, will also benefit from access to BSN SPORTS’ line of Campus Branding products featuring exclusive Nike branding designs and customizable online fanwear shops for the Blue Jays Athletics community.
As a first step in the partnership, Westminster invites staff, alumni, and friends to visit the first Blue Jays My Team Shop, which features partnership pricing on all items and will remain open through September 5. Purchases can be made through the Blue Jays Team Store at bsnteamsports.com.
“This partnership benefits our Blue Jay student-athletes and coaches,” said Derek Zander, Westminster’s Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Athletics Advancement, and Strategic Programs. “This partnership supports our commitment to providing a first-class experience for our student-athletes, giving them the best opportunity to excel in competition.”
Todd Northrop, Vice President of BSN SPORTS Collegiate Select Division, said, “This agreement between Westminster College, BSN SPORTS, and Nike brings immediate benefit to the student athletes, coaches, and staff representing the Blue Jays community, on and off the field of play. In servicing the Westminster Athletic Program with unmatched access to apparel, uniforms, and equipment, our team takes pride in providing a true partnership that allows coaches and staff to spend their time focusing on developing their athletes.”
About BSN SPORTS: Dallas-based BSN SPORTS is the leading marketer, manufacturer, and distributor of sporting goods apparel and equipment. A division of Varsity Brands, BSN SPORTS markets and distributes its products to over 100,000 institutional and team sports customers in colleges and universities, middle, and high schools, and recreational programs throughout the United States via catalog, e-commerce, and direct sales. Focused on providing game-changing solutions through local partnerships, multi-brand selection, and one-stop shopping for equipment and uniforms, BSN SPORTS’ more than 3,000 employees have been helping elevate participation in team sports since 1972. For more information about BSN SPORTS, please visit www.bsnsports.com. About Nike, Inc.: 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, Inc. subsidiaries include Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic lifestyle footwear, apparel, and accessories; and Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets, and distributes surf and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel, and accessories.
ABOUT THE BLUE JAYS AND WESTMINSTER COLLEGE: The Department of Athletics at Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, boasts 18 varsity sports teams and is a member of the NCAA Division III, the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) and Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC). Founded in 1851 and home of Winston Churchill’s “Iron Curtain” speech, Westminster College is ranked prestigiously by The Princeton Review as one of the “Best 150 colleges in the Midwest” for 2024. In 2023, the independent think tank Third Way singled out the small, private college as one of the nation’s best among colleges and universities in the United States in terms of economic mobility and return on investment. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report places Westminster in a unique category by itself, listing it as the only National Liberal Arts college in Missouri. New Westminster alumni experience a more than 90 percent placement rate in jobs or graduate school within six months of graduation. Westminster has long been recognized for its focus on educating and inspiring students to make an impact on the world around them. Find out more about Westminster by visiting our website. To learn more about America’s National Churchill Museum, go to NationalChurchillMuseum.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Sarah Backer at 573-220-9038 or Sarah.Backer@WCMO.edu.
