Across the National Collegiate Grappling Association (NCGA), uniforms are more than competition gear. They are visual expressions of team identity, colors, patterns, and logos that become a way for programs to represent who they are before a single match is started. For many teams, that identity starts from within. Few companies understand this better than Battle Gear, whose partnership with NCGA programs has helped elevate the look and feel of grappling across the region. One defining feature of NCGA programs is how often athletes themselves are involved in the design process. Many teams include student graphic designers who help shape their program’s look, turning uniforms into something personal rather than generic.
Across the National Collegiate Grappling Association (NCGA), uniforms are more than competition gear. They are visual expressions of team identity, colors, patterns, and logos that become a way for programs to represent who they are before a single match is started. For many teams, that identity starts from within.
Few companies understand this better than Battle Gear, whose partnership with NCGA programs has helped elevate the look and feel of grappling across the region.
One defining feature of NCGA programs is how often athletes themselves are involved in the design process. Many teams include student graphic designers who help shape their program’s look, turning uniforms into something personal rather than generic. As Rick Williams, the owner of Battle Gear, noted, “Almost every team has somebody on their team that can design,” a trend that continues to grow across the conference.
Supporting that process are providers like Battle Gear, who emphasize communication and availability alongside design. Teams can choose from a wide range of templates or submit original artwork, then work through revisions in a collaborative and flexible way. For student-athletes balancing academics, practices, and competition, that accessibility matters. “If you’ve got a thought at two in the morning, text it,” Battle Gear explained. “We’ll get to it when we can and keep moving forward.”
While many NCGA grappling and wrestling teams gravitate toward clean lines and simple designs, no two uniforms are exactly alike. Some programs emphasize tradition, while others experiment with bolder styles. What matters most is that the uniform feels authentic to the athletes wearing it. As Battle Gear shared, “I’m not the buyer. I’m the provider… It’s my job to create what they want and deliver it in a way they feel proud to wear.”
That sense of pride is central to the NCGA experience. Uniforms unify teams, reinforce confidence, and visually represent the work athletes put in every day. When competitors step onto the mat, they carry not just their skills, but their program’s identity with them.
In the NCGA, uniforms tell the story of the teams behind them.