Tag: Tom Watts

Nike swoosh and Bob the Bishop will team up in the fall

Updated April 23, 2019

By Jacey Scheffel

Transcript correspondent

jsscheff@owu.edu

The red and black will get a new look this upcoming season with all 25 varsity sports switching to Nike uniforms.

The Athletics department at Ohio Wesleyan University recently signed a five year contract with sports retailer, BSN SPORTS. Effective on March 1, all 25 teams will be sporting the Nike swoosh.

As a part of the BSN SPORTS’ Nike Collegiate Select program, OWU will purchase all athletic uniforms and gear from the vendor, Doug Zipp, Ohio Wesleyan Athletics director said.

The switch was made so the department could be more uniform. All teams will be under one umbrella and look similar.

“It’s more to be consistent around our department and that we know Ohio Wesleyan is represented in the right way,” Zipp said. “When we get off the bus people know Ohio Wesleyan is arriving because we all look the same. And it doesn’t matter if it’s the football team, the field hockey team, the volleyball team, you know.”

To achieve this similarity, uniform logos will be constant across teams. There will be a lot of choices, but the Bishop head, fonts and other logos will be the same style, Zipp said.

Along with an easier purchasing process, the university will receive a discount for purchasing in bulk, Zipp said.

Since 2012, the Ohio Wesleyan football team has purchased Nike through BSN SPORTS under the direction of Coach Tom Watts.

Not much change will be seen in the purchasing process for the football team, but other teams and the university will benefit from streamline purchasing and discounts, Watts said.

The football team will debut new Nike uniforms this upcoming season. The Bishops will be showcased in a white jersey with Bishops, in text, across the chest along with matching white pants.

“I think it looks sharp and our guys really liked it when we showed it to them. It’s simple, it looks clean, and it looks like OWU,” Watts said.

A lot of student athletes like the Nike for the branding, Zipp said.

“Nike is good quality,” sophomore football player, Logan Whalen-Hennick said. “I love the new uniforms because they are Nike. They look cleaner, and the team looks crisp and nice.”

Ohio Wesleyan will have everyone in the brand within the next three years, when all teams have had their chance at uniform renewal.

The uniforms will be simplistic, but represent what Ohio Wesleyan stands for, Zipp said.

“We try to say 25 sports, but one team. I think we’ll look more like that with the same kind of simple branding that BSN will provide for everybody,” Watts said.

Bishops Claw Their Way to First Win

          By Spencer Pauley, Managing Editor

Sometimes it never hurts to just kick the field goal, as is the case for the OWU Battling Bishops who pulled out a win against the Wooster Fighting Scots with a game-winning field goal.

The Battling Bishops held their first home game of the season on Sept. 15 and had it dedicated to Coach to Cure MD, a partnership dedicated to raising awareness of the muscle disorder called Duchenne. Despite the offense not scoring a touchdown the whole game, OWU won 9 – 7.

All of the Battling Bishops’ points came from Kicker Philhower. Philhower went 3-3 with the 27 yard game-winning field goal with only 18 seconds left. Kickers need ice in their veins for high-pressured kicks like that and it seemed like Philhower had it for the entire game.

“When you go out there, your legs get numb, a lot goes through your head, you just gotta kick it.” Phillhower said.

OWU Quarterback Jax Harville had a moderately successful game despite getting sacked nine times by the Wooster defense. He completed 63 percent of his passes for a total of 216 yards. However, the offense’s biggest plays came from receivers Deji Adebiyi and Aaron Fields II. Both receivers combined for 107 yards and some key plays of theirs lead to the game-winning field goal.

Adebiyi would end up going to the hospital after the game due to dehydration. What will he do to improve for the next game?

“Drink a little more water, avoid cramps for sure,” Adebiyi said.

The OWU defense was able to limit Wooster to only seven points for the whole game. Sophomore Cody Streit lead the Battling Bishops with 11 total tackles.

Head Coach Tom Watts was satisfied with how the game went, especially his players’ effort.

“A win’s a win. It’s awesome. I’m proud of the guys, they played their hearts out,” Watts said. “They played four quarters, you couldn’t ask for much more.”

When it comes to the yearly matchups with Wooster, Watts sees a consistently competitive game every time.

“It’s always a good game between us. It’s always back and forth,” Watts said. “It’s the fun part about playing in the NCAC.”

The Battling Bishops (1-2) will travel to Meadville, Pennsylvania on Sept. 22 to play the Allegheny Gators (1-2).