Loading
Loading scoreboard...
NAIA
White hat from HatLaunch with their logo

NAIA Names HatLaunch the Official Championship Hat of the NAIA

Meg Smith
|
September 17, 2026

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has signed a three-year partnership with HatLaunch as the Official Championship Hat of the NAIA. Under the partnership, the company will provide the hats for NAIA national championship events, helping commemorate championship moments for student-athletes across the association.

The partnership between the NAIA and HatLaunch is a collaboration intended to celebrate student-athletes in those Red Banner moments. The championship hat is a lasting reminder of the hard work, hours of practice, and teamwork that went into claiming victory. Receiving an exclusive hat in the moment of triumph makes the accomplishment tangible and keeps the celebration going long after the tournament is over.

HatLaunch recognizes the importance of championship moments

“Becoming a champion takes years, with many early mornings, missed weekends, or the seasons that don’t go your way. When it finally happens, there’s one thing that marks it forever: the championship hat,” states Chief Sales Officer Danny Gifford. “It’s not merchandise. It’s the object that holds that moment for good. For the next three years, we’re the ones building it for NAIA’s champions across all 31 Championships. Every stitch has to be right, because that moment only happens once. Grateful to partner with the NAIA on these Championship hats.”

“Our goal at every NAIA championship is to create championship moments that our student-athletes will remember long after the competition ends. Championship keepsakes have become part of that experience — something our champions can put on in that moment and have as a reminder of everything it took to get there,” said NAIA Vice President of Championships, Austin Bennett. “HatLaunch understands the significance of those moments, and we’re excited to partner with them to make the NAIA championship experience even more memorable.”

This partnership runs through August 2029. 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS (NAIA) 
The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., is a governing body of small athletics programs dedicated to character-driven intercollegiate athletics. NAIA members provide more than 87,000 student-athletes with opportunities to play college sports, earn $1.3 billion in financial aid from NAIA institutions, and compete in 31 national championships. naia.org | @NAIA  

 HatLaunch

Founded in 2018, HatLaunch is a custom headwear and apparel company serving local and national businesses, teams, and organizations. HatLaunch pairs quality craftsmanship with fast, reliable turnaround, delivering custom hats and apparel programs for clients of every size. HatLaunch is the official headwear supplier of NAIA Championship hats. Learn more here.

See related: NAIA Renews Partnership with TEL Education

RELATED NEWS

British Columbia Holds on to Top Spot in Final Fall NAIA Women’s Golf Coaches’ Top 25 Rating

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – British Columbia held on to the No. 1 spot in the final fall edition of the 2026-27 NAIA Women’s Golf Coaches’ Top 25 Rating, despite a charge from Southeastern (Fla.), which collected a rating-high seven first-place votes. British Columbia finished with 443 points and three first-place votes, edging Southeastern’s 436 points. […]

golfer

Keiser (Fla.) Remains Unanimous No. 1 in Final Fall STADIONIC NAIA Men’s Golf Coaches’ Top 25 Rating

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Keiser (Fla.) closes the fall portion of the 2026-27 season atop the STADIONIC NAIA Men’s Golf Coaches’ Top 25 Rating, collecting all 18 first-place votes and 498 points in the final fall edition. The top four teams remain unchanged, with Reinhardt (Ga.) holding at No. 2 with 482 points, followed by […]

football players celebrating

NAIA Football Notebook: Week 9

The NAIA Football season has reached Week 9 and the close of the month of October, with three featured games and six more to watch, plus notes, stats, standings and scores from around the NAIA in the Halloween edition of the NAIA Football Notebook. Click here to download the PDF version of this week’s notebook. […]

From the NAIA to the Professional Pitch: Fort Wayne Football Club Players Reflect on Their Path

For four former NAIA men’s soccer student-athletes, the path to professional soccer has continued with Fort Wayne Football Club. Their journeys reflect a connection between the NAIA and the professional game, one that Keelan Barker understands firsthand. A former head coach at the NAIA level, Barker now works as an assistant coach with Fort Wayne […]