Wildcat Baseball Signs with Wilson and DeMarini
Jan 23, 2004 | Baseball
HILLSBORO, OR - Kansas State University Baseball has signed with Wilson Sporting Goods Co. and DeMarini Sports for 2004. In the agreement reached between Wilson, DeMarini and Wildcat Head Coach Brad Hill, Kansas State will exclusively swing DeMarini bats and use Wilson ball gloves and equipment for the 2004 season.
“Our players are confident knowing they are competing with the best equipment,” says Coach Hill. “Wilson and DeMarini are committed to developing and creating baseball products that perform at the highest level.”
Named the 2003 NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year, Coach Hill is beginning his first season with the K-State program. The winningest active Division II coach in the nation, Hill looks to revitalize the Wildcat program after leaving behind a 418-91 (.821) overall record at Central Missouri State.
“It makes us very proud that Kansas State University has partnered with us,” says Jim Hackett, Business Director for Wilson Baseball and Softball. “Our bats have performed at the highest level of collegiate baseball, and the word is spreading about what has been accomplished by teams using our Half & Half bats.”
Under the agreement, Kansas State will hit exclusively with DeMarini bats including the new Vexxum -3 Long Barrel. Known among players as “the bat that bends,” the Vexxum is the first bat to combine a composite handle with an aluminum alloy barrel. Virtually indestructible, the Vexxum’s Half & Half system flexes and recoils with a burst of ball-launching energy. The Vexxum’s two-piece construction also redistributes weight for optimal balance, allowing players to swing faster with less energy. In the comfort zone, the Vexxum’s vibration-taming end cap works with the bat’s hybrid construction to absorb the energy that causes bat sting.
The Wildcats will also choose from Wilson’s 2004 lineup of Pro-Stock ball gloves, including models from the A2000 and A3000 series; uniforms; batting gloves; and other baseball accessories.
Established in 1989, DeMarini Sports took the bat industry by storm with the world’s first high-tech softball bat. Acquired by Wilson Sporting Goods in 2000, DeMarini continues to research, design and build high-performance softball and baseball bats in its state-of-the-art Hillsboro, Oregon facility.
Chicago-based Wilson Sporting Goods Company, a division of Amer Sports, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of sports equipment. The company designs, manufactures and distributes advanced equipment that helps players improve their performance. Wilson’s core categories include Football, Basketball, Baseball, Softball, Bats, Volleyball, Soccer, Youth Sports, Uniforms/Apparel, Golf, Footwear, and Racquet Sports (Tennis, Racquetball, Squash, Badminton and Platform Tennis).
