Big Ten lacrosse is back which means crazy uniform reveals and impressive team issued gear drops. For those of you who appreciate lacrosse gear and uniforms, I have the perfect article for you.
Each week I will rank the uniforms and gear from conferences all across college lacrosse. Every level, every uniform, and all the little details in order to crown each conference with a winner of which team has the most drip.
Starting off this series will be the Big Ten. The Big Ten is comprised of six D1 powerhouse teams in Ohio State, Michigan, Johns Hopkins, Maryland, Penn State, and Rutgers.
Just looking at some of these schools and their attention to athletic detail and design, I think it goes without saying that these are some of the often most impressive uniforms and gear amongst all of college lacrosse. This year the race for best dressed begins now.
BIG TEN LACROSSE Conference Gear Ranking
6. Rutgers
Rutgers is the only Adidas uniform team on this list. I think we can all remember the insanely tight fitting ugly Adidas jerseys of the past.
However, Adidas has made some major improvements in their jerseys over the past few years. Rutgers seems to be rocking red and white jerseys for the year which do have some pop to their look.
There are just a few things about the uniforms that grabbed the bottom spot on this list. Not a fan of the opposite color stitching that goes across the jersey. For example, the white uniforms have visible red stitching all across the jersey as a design element. The other big thing about these uniforms that I’m not in love with is the font choice and proximity to the collar of the uniform.
Again, everyone is going to have their own preferences, but this is just my quick take on the look.
5. Penn State
Penn State is another team that really tends to go with a classic look each season. While some may appreciate this consistency year in and year out, I personally would love to see Penn State spice it up a bit with possibly a new alternate uniform.
Their classic white uniforms are the only ones that I’ve seen so far for this season, and they are very much that, classic. Great look that really wraps together the iconic Penn State feel. I think the all white uniforms with the white helmet will be a cool icey look this season.
Big fan of their Maverik Rome all white with blue accent gloves but not as much of a fan of their M5 gloves as they just have a bit too much color in the wrong areas for my liking. Not saying they are a bad look, but the all white Rome gloves are surely their cleanest look.
4. Maryland
This past weekend we saw Maryland take on High Point which was quite an awesome uniform matchup between these two teams. Maryland has dropped all their uniform/gear looks and combinations for the season unlike a lot of other teams . These include red, white, and black jersey and short combos.
While the white is a great classic look and the black kit is a clean alternative look, I must say that the red uniforms catch my eye the most. Under Armour did a great job with these and I love the very realistic looking Maryland flag along the trim of each arm and the bottom of each side of the shorts.
The red jersey, white short, and white helmet combination is also one that’s growing on me. Whatever combination Maryland rocks this year I guarantee that the Terps will be looking clean with any of these options.
On the gear side Maryland is also a Maverik school and went with a very flashy type look. Solid Maryland red Maverik gloves really stand out in these uniform combinations. I appreciate the one color flare that really ties the whole outfit together.
3. Michigan
As I mentioned earlier the Big Ten is known for pretty classic jerseys with a sharp look. Michigan is a perfect example of this timeless look in their jersey designs.
This past weekend we saw Michigan take on Bellarmine rocking their brand new white uniforms. These are a simple yet elegant looking uniform featuring blue and maize perfectly sized lettering and numbers. On the back of the jerseys is a very detailed two color Michigan “M” which one can really appreciate.
I would love to talk about the other kits that Michigan has worn in years past, but considering these are new white uniforms only time will tell if their navy and maize kits get a tune up as well.
Michigan is a Maverik school and has some pretty sharp looking gear to go along with their uniforms. Their gloves in particular are great with a navy blue center and white outers along with an almost oversized awesome looking Michigan “M”. Again, these aren’t a crazy flashy look but instead a super well executed classic look that you just can’t go wrong with.
Don’t even get me started on the helmets.
2. Ohio State
Ohio State is always a front runner in uniform design and attention to detail. While I’m sure we haven’t seen all of the Ohio State uniform options for the year yet, the ones that we have seen in years past are pretty awesome.
This past weekend we got to see Ohio State take on Detroit Mercy in which Ohio State was rocking their classic sleeveless Nike uniforms. White being the main color with some well placed red accents along the top of the jersey and lettering. Big fan of the letters being white with a red outline as it gives the uniform just a bit of a sharper look.
However, I feel a bit undecided on sleeveless uniforms this year. Are they still in style or are they a fad that should be long gone? Let me know your thoughts.
As of now, I feel like well designed sleeveless jerseys like these look sharp but the margin of error in rocking a sleeveless uniform is much smaller when compared to classic jerseys.
Also pictured on the Ohio State Men’s Lacrosse Instagram is their blackout/dark grey uniforms. These things look awesome and will be a great alternative for the year as they always are.
Gear wise STX hooked them up from head to toe in the latest and greatest releases.
1. JOhns Hopkins
Full disclosure, I’ve always been a big fan of Hopkins and their uniform game. However, this year they seem to be even further ahead than the rest of Big Ten lacrosse in the uniform game.
Most teams in the conference will choose to go with a simple classic look from their jersey provider while Hopkins went with a slightly more futuristic look this season.
Their Under Armour uniforms feature the classic Hopkins blue as the main color with white numbers. Along the sleeve is an American flag and three white and black lines to give the jersey all the more flair. The collar of these uniforms is white but features a different design with a sharper more aggressive look as you may be able to see in uniform photos.
On the gear side their STX Surgeon RZR gloves add a great aspect to their overall look with another very modern/possibly even futuristic look.
