U.S. Polo Assn. Expands Collegiate Partnership Program to Record 70 Teams for 2026 Season

WEST PALM BEACH, FLA. / ACCESS Newswire / March 5, 2026 / U.S. Polo Assn., the official sports brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), proudly announces the continued expansion of its Collegiate Partnership Program (CPP) for the 2026 season and academic year. Now in its eighth consecutive year, the program reaches a historic milestone by supporting 70 collegiate teams across 31 universities nationwide, the largest number of teams ever participating in the program.

U.S. Polo Assn. will outfit hundreds of student-athletes from coast to coast, including small private and large public institutions, Ivy League Universities, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The CPP supports 35 women's and 35 men's teams, reinforcing U.S. Polo Assn.'s long-standing commitment to growing the sport at the collegiate level. This season welcomes two new schools, Babson University and Southern Methodist University, joining a distinguished group of institutions nationwide.

This year, U.S. Polo Assn. will generously provide each partnered program with custom-performance team jerseys, white performance game pants, polo shirts, caps, equipment gear bags, and exclusive USPA Pro merchandise, along with a monetary donation. The program also continues its popular collegiate social media contest, where teams have the opportunity to win additional prizes through creative digital engagement and storytelling.

Participating Schools Include:

"U.S. Polo Assn. is proud to support a record number of collegiate polo teams and student-athletes through the Collegiate Partnership Program," said J. Michael Prince, President and CEO of USPA Global, the company that manages the multi-billion-dollar U.S. Polo Assn. brand. "This critical program strengthens the foundation of the sport by providing meaningful resources to collegiate polo programs across the country. Supporting 70 teams this season reflects both the growth of the program and our long-term commitment to supporting the next generation of players both on and off the polo field."

Enrollment for U.S. Polo Assn.'s Collegiate Partnership Program is open to all colleges and universities with a USPA-sanctioned polo team and lasts for the academic year. Collegiate polo teams compete in the Fall and Spring, with the official season running through April 2026 and culminating in the National Intercollegiate Championship (NIC).

"Our partnership with U.S. Polo Assn. for the last eight years continues to make a meaningful difference for collegiate programs nationwide," said Liz Brayboy, Chair of the USPA's Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Committee. "The support provided through the Collegiate Partnership Program helps teams build stronger programs, develop student-athletes, and showcase the spirit and sportsmanship that define collegiate polo."

The two-time award-winning series Breakaway, created by Global Polo, the media subsidiary of USPA Global, will feature a new episode in its upcoming season. Titled "Breakaway: Polo in College," the episode will air later this year on ESPNU, offering national exposure to the excitement and impact of collegiate polo. Check your local listings for air times.

About U.S. Polo Assn. and USPA Global

U.S. Polo Assn. is the official sports brand of the United States Polo Association (USPA), the largest association of polo clubs and polo players in the United States, founded in 1890 and located in Wellington, Florida. With a multi-billion-dollar global footprint and worldwide distribution through more than 1,200 U.S. Polo Assn. retail stores as well as thousands of additional points of distribution, U.S. Polo Assn. offers apparel, accessories, and footwear for men, women, and children in more than 190 countries worldwide. The brand sponsors major polo events around the world, including the U.S. Open Polo Championship®, held annually at NPC in The Palm Beaches, the premier polo tournament in the United States. Historic deals with ESPN in the United States, TNT and Eurosport in Europe, and Star Sports in India now broadcast several of the premier polo championships in the world, sponsored by U.S. Polo Assn., making the thrilling sport accessible to millions of sports fans globally for the very first time.

U.S. Polo Assn. has consistently been named one of the top global sports licensors in the world alongside the NFL, PGA Tour, and Formula 1, according to License Global. In addition, the sport-inspired brand is being recognized internationally with awards for global growth. Due to its tremendous success as a global brand, U.S. Polo Assn. has been featured in Forbes, Fortune, Modern Retail, and GQ as well as on Yahoo Finance and Bloomberg, among many other noteworthy media sources around the world. For more information, visit uspoloassnglobal.com and follow @uspoloassn.

USPA Global is a subsidiary of the United States Polo Association (USPA) and manages the multi-billion-dollar sports brand, U.S. Polo Assn. USPA Global also manages the subsidiary, Global Polo, which is the worldwide leader in polo sport content. To learn more, visit globalpolo.com or Global Polo on YouTube.

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For Additional Information, Contact:

Shannon Stilson - VP, Sports Marketing and Media
Phone +001.561.227.6994 - E-mail: [email protected]

Stacey Kovalsky - VP, Global PR and Communications
Phone +001.561.790.8036 - E-mail: [email protected]

SOURCE: U.S. Polo Assn.