ST. LOUIS---It was announced today that Rawlings Sporting Goods® will continue their role as the Official Baseball of NCAA® Division I, II and III Championships. The newly renewed contract will remain active thru 2013.

“Both Rawlings and the NCAA® remain dedicated to providing collegiate athletes with the tools they need to succeed on the field,” said Mike Thompson, Rawlings Senior Vice-President, Sports Marketing. “We truly value our long-standing partnership with the NCAA® and look forward to bringing our latest product technologies and innovations to collegiate baseball.”

“Rawlings has been an NCAA licensee for close to 20 years, supporting our academic and athletic missions, but more importantly, supporting our student-athletes. Keeping Rawlings in the NCAA family was our goal and we’re pleased the company will play a key role in future NCAA championships,” said Dennis Poppe, NCAA Vice-President for Baseball and Football.

The Rawlings R1NCAA baseball, made with Extra Innings Technology™ (EIT), will be used in all rounds of the NCAA® Division I, II, and III Championships. One key benefit of EIT is longer life versus traditional balls. This is measured by the compression or firmness of the ball. After 100 hits, EIT baseballs experienced only a 35% drop in compression whereas traditional baseballs lost 53% of their compression. EIT baseballs also contain a patented, thin polymer layer just under the cover which resists the damaging effects of moisture (liquid and vapor). Further, EIT drastically reduces the weight gain and performance loss due to humidity, thus, providing more consistent performance in a wide variety of climates.

About Rawlings:

Rawlings is a leading marketer and manufacturer of baseball equipment and other sporting goods in the United States.  Rawlings is the Official Baseball and Helmet of Major League Baseball® and official ball of the NCAA® baseball championships.  Rawlings is also the official basketball, football, and baseball of the NAIA®, NJCAA®, and many other organizations. Rawlings is the official basketball, football, baseball, and softball of the National High School Federation®.  For more information, please visit www.rawlings.com.

About the NCAA®:

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a voluntary organization through which the nation's colleges and universities govern their athletics programs. It is comprised of institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals committed to the best interests, education and athletics participation of student-athletes. For more information, please visit www.ncaa.org.