NCAA - University of Evansville

U. of Evansville Unveils New Basketball Uniforms

Aces Snip Their Sleeves

Basketball team goes traditional.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - For most of the past 55 years, University of Evansville men's basketball players have worn jerseys with sleeves.

As of today, the Purple Aces are sleeveless. First-year head coach Steve Merfeld announced today at a news conference on campus that the Aces will wear traditional basketball tops. Merfeld was accompanied by five upperclassmen who served as models for the new uniforms.

Sleeves or no sleeves may not seem like a big deal other places, but it is at Evansville, a school rich in basketball history. The 1947-48 Aces were the first to wear sleeves. According to Basketball Hall Of Fame head coach Arad McCutchan in a 1964 interview, "I use the T-shirt style of uniform because I feel that is what most players wear in practice, and therefore, what they are most comfortable in. It's also more flattering to the thin ballplayer."

McCutchan stuck to the sleeves throughout the rest of his 31-year career, leading Evansville to 514 victories and NCAA College Division national championships in 1959, 1960, 1964, 1965 and 1971. Utah Jazz head coach Jerry Sloan was a member of the '64 and '65 national championship teams. Evansville went back to traditional tops after McCutchan retired in 1977, UE's first year at the Division I level. The Aces remained sleeveless until 1986 when Jim Crews, then in his second year as head coach, decided to bring back the sleeves as a tribute to Coach McCutchan and his players. Crews spent 17 years as head coach at Evansville, leading the Purple Aces to four NCAA Tournament appearances and two NITs, before leaving in March of this year to become head coach at Army.

Enter Merfeld, who talked with many in the community, on campus and within his own team before deciding to change the Purple Aces' look.

"Although the style of uniform has changed, it still says 'Evansville' across the chest and we will continue to represent our University and community with great honor, dignity and respect," Merfeld said. "We didn't make this change because of what recruits might think, or because we wanted to be like everyone else. The main reason for the change was player comfort, which was the same reason for Coach McCutchan's choice back in the '40s."

This article was taken from gopurpleaces.ocsn.com.  All rights reserved.