PRINCESS ANNE — The University of Maryland Eastern Shore Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has announced its newest partnership with Maryland-based, Route One Apparel, headquartered in Towson.

The Hawks will have Route One Apparel distributing four custom mask designs on their website while the department purchased each student-athlete a mask to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“The partnership helps us fill a need,” said G. Stan Bradley, Associate Director of Athletics for External Affairs at UMES. “When our head athletic trainer came to me with concerns about the quality of masks our student-athletes were wearing in practice and training, we knew we had to find one that met her standards. Route One offers a fantastic mask with a metal nose clip, has two layers of protection that will also hold filters and offers adjustable straps that keep the masks secure to the face. And they look great!”

“Our Assistant AD for Sports Medicine, Pat Nativio, has been nothing short of extraordinary in this pandemic,” said Director of Athletics Keith Davidson. “If she has concerns about something involving the health and safety of our athletes, then we listen and we take the steps we need to protect them the best we can. These masks help keep our Hawks safe and help us build our brand.”

The department designed four masks and allowed each sports program to pick the style the head coach liked the best. They include a maroon and grey Maryland flag design, a black mask with the traditional “M” logo, a grey one with the Hawk logos and a maroon one with the new logo for “The Shore.” All can be found for purchase on Route One Apparel’s website at www.routeoneapparel.com with proceeds benefitting the Hawks.

“This is a great way to show some Hawk Pride,” added Davidson. “Purchasing a mask does help protect you and it supports the department, and to be included with the quality merchandise offered by a state-based company like Route One Apparel, only helps introduce our brand to people from the state of Maryland or who love the state of Maryland, no matter where they are located.

Route One Apparel is the area’s original online source for trendy and affordable Maryland pride apparel and accessories. The company was founded in 2010 by Ali von Paris, an alumna of the University of Maryland College Park. Route One Apparel offers more than 3,000 unique products and designs and holds licensee agreements with many of the area’s most recognizable brands, including Old Bay, Utz, and National Bohemian.

At first, von Paris wasn’t sure about making masks. In an interview with Baltimore Style she stated, “Initially I didn’t want to make masks because I didn’t want it to be like I was profiting off of someone else’s plight. I decided that if I was going to do it, they needed to be affordable, good quality and have some sort of give-back aspect to them. At the end of the day, we’re a fashion company, and it’s so much fun for us to make things that are conversation starters.”

Masks are on sale on the site now for just $10, discounted from their $15 original pricing as part of a mask sale by the company. Quantities are limited.