Lincoln -- The Nebraska men's and women's basketball programs will honor and celebrate Black History Month with a uniquely symbolic uniform. The jerseys which will be worn at a home game this month, are part of adidas' Honoring Black Excellence (HBE) initiative, celebrating the achievements of Black individuals and Black culture as a whole. HBE pays homage and recognizes individuals who are positively impacting others' lives within and around their communities.
"In the Black community, we often channel and celebrate the perseverance of our ancestors who have overcome adversities while also recognizing that some of them never received the flowers while they could still smell them. People like Ida B. Wells, Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King Jr." said Dr. Lawrence Chatters, Executive Associate Athletic Director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Nebraska Athletics. "These uniforms are symbolic of overcoming the struggle and represent hope and optimism for a better and brighter tomorrow."
The Huskers' cream-colored jersey features two distinct pieces. The multi-color pastels along the sides represent the tearing down of obstacles to create something beautiful, while the goldenrods on the lettering show gratitude and appreciation for the contributions of Black individuals within the program over the years. The goldenrod is the state flower of Nebraska. All of adidas' power conference and HBCU schools will wear similar-themed jerseys for a game during the month of February.
The men's jersey will honor the first African American basketball player in school history, Wilbur Wood. Wood was one of the first black players to gain prominence in collegiate hoops playing for the Huskers from 1908 to 1910. He helped the Huskers to three straight second-place finishes in the Missouri Valley Conference and later coached the Husker freshman team following his college career. The N logo on the front of the jersey is modeled after the jerseys the Huskers wore during Wood's tenure.
The Husker men will wear the Honoring Black Excellence uniform for the game against Northwestern this Saturday, Feb. 5. Nebraska will honor Al Maxey Sr. during an in-game presentation. A 1995 inductee into Nebraska Men's Basketball Hall of Fame, Maxey has also received the Bus Whitehead Distinguished Alumni for his post-basketball contributions in the Lincoln community.
The Husker women's team will wear the HBE uniform for its game against Indiana on Monday, Feb. 14. During this game, the Huskers plan to honor Maurtice Ivy, who was inducted into the University of Nebraska Athletic Hall of Fame last fall. The Omaha Central graduate led Nebraska to the 1988 Big Eight Conference championship and the Huskers' first NCAA Tournament appearance.
Gallery: (2-3-2022) 2022 Nebraska Basketball HBE Uniforms
