WARRENSBURG, Mo. – University of Central Missouri Athletics and Shelter Insurance® announced on Tuesday, August 18, a first-of-its-kind NCAA Division II jersey patch partnership, pending NCAA approval at the January 2027 NCAA convention.
The new five-year agreement, which will be the largest sponsorship agreement in UCM Athletics history, will give Shelter Insurance® jersey patches on all 17 University of Central Missouri Mules and Jennies competition uniforms beginning in the 2027-28 season. The agreement is the first of its kind at the Division II level and will be among the largest sponsorship agreements in NCAA Division II.
"This is a monumental milestone for University of Central Missouri Athletics. Bringing together two legendary brands—the Mule Head and the Shelter Shield—is a natural alignment rooted in shared tradition, deep local roots, and an unwavering commitment to excellence," UCM Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics
Matt Howdeshell said. "UCM and Shelter Insurance® share a rich history and a mutual dedication to serving our communities. Honoring that historic connection while blazing a new trail in collegiate athletics is something our student-athletes, campus, and alumni base can take immense pride in."
For the 2026-27 season, in lieu of the uniform patch, which has not yet been approved at the Division II level, Shelter Insurance® will
receive logo placement on the turf at Walton Stadium/Kennedy Field, home of Mules Football and Mules and Jennies Track & Field.
This unprecedented partnership will extend well beyond the uniform patches. Shelter Insurance® will now be known as "The Official Auto, Home, and Life Insurance Partner of UCM Athletics" and have prominent signage across multiple UCM Athletics venues, as well as a variety of marketing assets across UCM's sports channels, highlighting its long-term commitment to the Mules and Jennies, the University of Central Missouri, the Warrensburg community, and the State of Missouri.
"At Shelter, we believe strong communities are built through places that educate, inspire, and prepare the next generation of leaders. The University of Central Missouri has a long history of preparing students for success, and its impact is one I know personally. This partnership represents a natural alignment of values, and we're excited to invest in a relationship that benefits the university, its students, and the communities we both serve," Rockne Corbin, UCM alumnus and Shelter Insurance® President and Chief Executive Officer, said.
Shelter Insurance®, based in Columbia, Missouri, has a long history of supporting University of Central Missouri Athletics. Former UCM Mules Basketball student-athlete (1951-55) and Board of Governors member, the late John Lennox, joined Shelter Insurance® in 1961 and was elevated to president and CEO in 1997 before retiring in 1999. Lenox passed away in 2002.
Corbin, who has served as president and CEO at Shelter Insurance® since 2024 and has been with the company since 1991, graduated from the University of Central Missouri (then Central Missouri State University) in 1986.
For the latest on University of Central Missouri Athletics, please visit
www.UCMAthletics.com, follow @ucm_athletics on X and/or Instagram, or visit
www.Facebook.com/UCMAthletics.
About Shelter Insurance®
Shelter Insurance® is a group of companies with three personal lines property and casualty companies, a reinsurance company, and a life insurance company. Shelter markets through Shelter Insurance®, AmShield Insurance®, and Haulers Insurance and offers auto, home, life, farm, and business insurance services to customers in 21 states. The firm's corporate headquarters is in Columbia, Missouri, and more information is available at
ShelterInsurance.com.
About UCM Athletics
The University of Central Missouri has a long and rich history of excellence in athletics, both on the field of play and in the classroom.
Outstanding teams, combined with some of the finest facilities in Division II athletics, give UCM's students, faculty, and staff one more aspect of college life to enjoy with pride.
Always a contender for conference titles, Central Missouri is part of the 14-member Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA), recognized nationwide as one of the strongest conferences in NCAA Division II.
UCM has claimed 277 MIAA Championships all-time.
Central Missouri has won 10 national championships since 1980 (men's and women's basketball in 1984 – the first school in NCAA history to win both titles in the same season – baseball in 1994 and 2003, women's bowling in 2003, men's basketball in 2014, Jennies Track & Field with the indoor/outdoor sweep in 2015, and Jennies Soccer and Basketball in 2017-18), and 12 overall.
