TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Indiana State Athletics department, with guidance from leaders of the student-athlete community on campus announced that Sycamore athletic teams will wear a special unity patch of the Indiana State University leaf on all uniforms for the 2020-21 season to draw attention to systemic racism and social injustices throughout the country.
"We stand by our student-athletes as they express their experiences with racism and other social injustices," Director of Athletics
Sherard Clinkscales noted. "It is our job as educators to listen and to make a difference in this everyday fight for many of our student-athletes, all while working together to have candid conversations for change through accountability."
An all-black version on the Indiana State leaf will be seen on all athletic uniforms as a patch where available on the chest area, and on warmup gear when not available on a uniform for such sports as swimming & diving.
In a united statement, team leaders said: "We, as student-athletes and as a Sycamore family, acknowledge that members of our community have been targeted and affected by the injustices that have been occurring in this country. We are unified as one to stand up against this."
The patch was determined by leaders from each ISU athletic program on campus during panels over the last two months. The group will continue to meet to discuss issues throughout the future.
In July, the
NCAA's Playing Rules Oversight Panel announced that student-athletes can wear patches on their uniforms to honor causes they support, including social justice initiatives.
