Colorado Mesa University will be sporting new alternate uniforms for the 2018 season. The uniforms will be all black with maroon stripes and a maroon Maverick logo on the left peck.

While some might think that they decided to upgrade their uniforms in honor of their strong 2017 season, the reasoning was a much more obvious answer.

“The old ones were getting old,” Head coach Chris Hanks said.

The team plans to use the jerseys as their team’s alternate uniforms that they will wear only on occasion.

“We have always had a black jersey as an alternate like Sunday uniform,” Hanks said. “It is the jersey we wear least of all our uniforms, usually when all the other ones are dirty.”

Despite only wearing these new alternates when the others are covered in sweat and dirt, these jerseys are often the player’s favorite to wear throughout the season.

“The kids love black jerseys,” Hanks said. “I don’t know why. But they always ask to wear them and we say no. So it becomes a little bit of a reward too. If we are up two games to nothing on someone we say if you win the third one we will let you wear the black uniforms tomorrow. Kind of an incentive.”

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While the wearing the jerseys might come as an incentive for the players, sometimes they will end up wearing whatever jersey is working for them at the time.

“That is true to an extent,” pitcher Jake Mielock said. “I don’t know what it is but sometimes if it is just the atmosphere or who we are playing but sometimes we like wear a certain combo of unis, especially when it has been working. Last year we kept winning in one so we kept wearing it.”

There is also the very basic reason of laundry as to when the jerseys may be worn.

“When we are on the road it is a lot more convenient if you don’t have to do laundry,” Hanks said. “You can just throw the old uni in the laundry bag and get fresh stuff for the next game.”

These new, sleek uniforms are a hit with the players, but even the coaches are looking forward to their first game in them.

“They are going to be good for coaches that want more of a thinning look,” Hanks said.