The University of Hartford athletics teams are taking one more step in unifying together as Hawk Nation to elevate the program in soaring to new heights. Last week, it was announced that the Hartford athletics department had reached a multi-year partnership with sports clothing and accessories company Under Armour to become to the school’s official outfitter starting with the 2016-17 season.

Hartford joins America East conference mate UMBC, as well as national powerhouses like Boston College, Notre Dame, Auburn, Maryland and Yale, who have partnered with the Baltimore, Maryland-based company.

“Our goal is to not only build great teams at the University of Hartford, but also create a unified athletics department that prides itself on representing our University with class and distinction,” Hartford athletics director Anton Goff said in the announcement released April 7 on the athletics website.

“Aligning ourselves with Under Armour will have a huge impact, not only for our athletics department, but will also help us elevate the University’s reputation and recognition both regionally and nationally,” Goff also stated in the press release.

@HartfordHawks Welcome to the family! #TeamUA

— Under Armour (@UnderArmour) April 7, 2016

The length and value of the deal could not be released publicly, but the partnership will begin effectively July 1, 2016. UA will become the official outfitter for sixteen of Hartford’s athletics teams, with women’s basketball joining for the 2018-19 season once their current contract ends.

Under Armour is one of the three company giants when it comes to sports wear and apparel. While trailing Nike and Adidas, the 20-year-old company has been on the rise and a growing trend in signing to top colleges and universities across the U.S.

With the new deal, Hawk Nation can expect new uniforms to be rolled out for each of the Hartford Hawks teams when the 2016-17 athletics season comes around. They can also expect new apparel to be available to represent the Hartford Hawks.

NEWS: Hawks and @UnderArmour
Ink Multi-Year Partnership #HawkNationDominationhttps://t.co/EEKaoxfrNv pic.twitter.com/oIiBAzYAvL

— Hartford Hawks (@HartfordHawks) April 7, 2016

Although the terms and details of the contract were not disclosed, many apparel contracts include a rights fee, product allowance, marketing support and performance bonuses among a few others. The rights fee would be the monetary amount that Under Amour pays each year to be the “official outfitter” of Hartford Hawks athletics.

At the grandest scale, Under Armour contracts can reach up to $100 million, but that’s talking the cream of the crop of schools like Wisconsin, Notre Dame and Auburn.

Earlier this year in January, it was reported that nearby Yale had signed a deal with Under Armour worth $16–16.5 million over 10 years. At smaller schools, the details of these deals are less known, and can be expected to be valued at a much lower number.

Doane College, a private liberal arts college in Nebraska with an enrollment of just under 3,000 students, recently signed to a deal with Under Armour. The school competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), and it was reported that they would not receive an upfront signing bonus like at larger schools. Their benefits come later when they make purchases through discounts and in bulk.

So while the terms of Hartford’s deal with Under Armour is uncertain, it is still a step in the right direction of elevating the athletics program to new heights as they join a growing number of colleges and university that have partnered with the sports apparel company.