BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Virginia Tech football team will wear the newly designed Nike Pro Combat uniform when they take on the Maryland Terrapins, in College Park, Maryland, Saturday, November 14, at 1:00 p.m. Nike is donating the uniforms and helmets to be auctioned off online at hokiesports.com, with all proceeds going to Herma’s Readers. Herma’s Readers is a non-profit organization that promotes the power of reading and literacy to youngsters during their formative years, grades K-3.

The online auction will begin at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, November 10, and will continue through Monday, November 23, at 5:00 p.m. Anyone wishing to bid on the uniforms (jersey, pants and helmet) can do so by logging onto hokiesports.com/auction. There will be a minimum bid of $500 and all orders will have a $25 shipping fee added to the end of the bid. All auction items will not be mailed until the end of the 2009 season.

The Nike Pro Combat uniform is a new system of dress and the lightest football uniform Nike has ever created. The Nike Pro Combat uniforms will feature historical trademarks, including the placement of the university motto “UT PROSIM”, meaning “That I May Serve”, on the back of the pants to honor the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets. In addition, “Beamerball” will be stitched inside the collar of each jersey to recognize Virginia Tech’s signature style of play.

“Nike has always been the leader in apparel design and they are a great partner for not only Virginia Tech Football, but Virginia Tech Athletics,” Tech Coach Frank Beamer said. “We can’t thank them enough for including Virginia Tech and Herma’s Readers as part of this project.”