GREENVILLE, NC (August 10, 2022) – As the Pirates prepare to kick-off the 2022 fall season, East Carolina University is releasing a new collection of vintage-inspired merchandise featuring classic ECU marks that celebrate the University’s national athletic prominence of the ‘90s. The new ECU College Vault Collection will launch at a limited-run pop-up shop at the annual Meet the Pirates event on Saturday, August 20.

ECU’s College Vault program is a specially curated merchandise program created by the university’s licensing agent, CLC, to highlight historical trademarks and traditions through fashion-forward apparel and non-apparel products. The collection features officially licensed, ECU branded products from licensees such as Champion, Peter Millar, adidas, ’47 Brand and other top ECU licensees.

“ECU has a storied history of athletic success, and we are excited to bring that history to life through our new College Vault merchandise,” said Melissa Spain, ECU’s Trademark Licensing Coordinator. “Our passionate Pirate fans will be able to celebrate our past while showing their spirit as they support our teams today.”

The three new marks being reintroduced as part of the collection represent an era when ECU had its highest-ranked football team in 1991, a Peach Bowl victory in 1992, and many winning seasons for teams across ECU Athletics.

“We are excited to help ECU deliver this unique ‘90s era merchandise as the next iteration of the university’s College Vault collection,” said Nicole Armentrout, CLC’s SVP of Marketing. “The College Vault collection was established to give ECU an avenue to properly merchandise its historic logos, which have deep meaning for the fans, and help tell the story of the University and its successful athletic program.” 

The new merchandise will be released at the Meet the Pirates event pop-up shop, and will then be available at the University Book Exchange, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Fanatics and Barnes & Noble/Fanatics Lids College.

About East Carolina University

East Carolina University offers more than 87 bachelor’s, 68 master’s and 18 doctoral degrees to 28,000 students on its Greenville, North Carolina, campus and through an acclaimed online learning program. The university’s school of medicine consistently ranks No. 1 in North Carolina – and in the top 10% nationally – for graduating physicians who practice in-state, practice primary care and practice in rural and underserved areas. ECU boasts the largest business school enrollment and largest number of new nurses and education professionals produced by a four-year North Carolina university, in addition to the largest studio art program in the state. The university has a globally recognized academic underwater archaeology program and has a supportive relationship with the U.S. military services. Located near Atlantic coast harbors where pirates once roamed, ECU adopted the “Pirates” mascot in 1934 for its athletics program and competes in NCAA Division 1.

Media contacts:

Melissa Spain, ECU – spainm18@ecu.edu, 252-737-1508

Tammy Purves, CLC, tammy.purves@clc.com, 770-799-3275.