From left: Alex Bamford, Joao Roberto and Ryan Holmes model the new Marshall soccer kits for the 2024 season during a public event at The Market in downtown Huntington on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
From left: Luiza Travassos, Madison Townes, Ava Hall and Rylie McKinney model the new Marshall soccer kits for the 2024 season during a public event at The Market in downtown Huntington on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
From left: Alex Bamford, Joao Roberto and Ryan Holmes model the new Marshall soccer kits for the 2024 season during a public event at The Market in downtown Huntington on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
From left: Luiza Travassos, Madison Townes, Ava Hall and Rylie McKinney model the new Marshall soccer kits for the 2024 season during a public event at The Market in downtown Huntington on Thursday, July 18, 2024.
HUNTINGTON — Get used to seeing the Marshall men’s and women’s soccer teams in stripes.
For the past few seasons, the home kits for each side have featured stripes, whether they appeared vertical or horizontal on the jerseys. Now the men’s and women’s teams have identical kits for the 2024 season.
Last year, the Thundering Herd men won the most games in program history en route to the top seed in the NCAA Tournament after winning the Sun Belt Conference tournament.
Marshall’s women won more games than they had since 2015 and enter the year with a new coach, Rafa Simoes, who was previously an assistant coach for the Herd men.
The striped kits, which previously had only come in green and white, have been popular among the fans and were made available at select retail outlets. Quickly, they flooded the stands. Marshall men’s coach Chris Grassie said the look isn’t going anywhere any time soon.
“We went with stripes, and that happened to coincide with our most successful period ever, so that’s us now,†Grassie said. “Green and white stripes forever.â€
The new home kits are striped on the front with white numbers outlined in black with a solid white back and sleeves and, as is standard for teams with national championship to their credit, features a star above the logo — a tribute to Marshall’s 2020 national championship game victory over Indiana.
The Herd women’s home kits are the same, minus the star above the logo, and the road kits are also the same for both sides, replacing the white stripes with black and a solid black back and sleeves.
“The fans wanted to see and green and white. That was the top choice,†Grassie said. “But there was a lot of black and green for the away, and it was a theme. The fans were already wearing them, they were already getting them, so we stuck to stripes.â€
Fans who purchased a ticket to the SBC championship ring ceremony and the kit reveal Thursday received a replica of the new kit with their purchase, but that wasn’t the only chance to get one. Marshall announced a sale of the replica jerseys at $100 each.
Marshall fans’ first chance to see the new home kits comes on Aug. 15, when the Herd women open the year by hosting Morehead State. The men’s first scheduled home game is two days later, Aug. 17, against Winthrop in the regular season opener.
Luke Creasy is a reporter for The Herald-Dispatch. Follow him on Twitter @LukeCreasy or reach him by phone at 304-526-2800.
