ARLINGTON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The University of Texas at Arlingtonhas named Texas Trust Credit Union the official credit union sponsor of the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics.

The seven-year, strategic partnership is the largest sponsorship agreement in UT Arlington athletic program history. Through the agreement, Texas Trust gains marketing and promotional rights through the University’s athletic programs.

The credit union will open a branch in the University’s 20-acre College Park District in spring 2014 and will place ATMs in various campus locations. Texas Trust also will market a variety of UT Arlington branded debit cards that will provide a cash reward to the University.

Texas Trust will provide financial tools and resources for educational purposes to support the UT Arlington Student Money Management Center, which educates students about money, savings and credit awareness.

“Both of our organizations are focused on building brighter futures," said Jim Minge, president of Texas Trust Credit Union, which is headquartered in Mansfield, Texas. “This partnership will strengthen UT Arlington's ability to influence and shape the lives of thousands of young adults by giving them access to financial resources and tools to help them build brighter financial futures."

Jim Baker, director of UT Arlington Intercollegiate Athletics, called the Texas Trust partnership a significant endorsement of the University’s programs and goals and an opportunity for the credit union to form critical relationships with individuals and local businesses.

“This is an exciting opportunity for UT Arlington Athletics, our student-athletes and our broader University community,” Baker said. “This new relationship shows that Texas Trust values the positive momentum propelling our University and our athletic programs toward excellence.”

The Texas Trust brand will be highly visible throughout the College Park District and College Park Center, the 7,000-seat, state-of-the-art special events center that opened in 2012. College Park Center is home court for UT Arlington basketball and women’s volleyball and is host of concerts, commencement ceremonies and special events throughout the year.

Texas Trust will be featured prominently through signage, hospitality services and an extensive multi-media advertising program. Texas Trust also will be a prime sponsor of a variety of athletic events throughout the duration of the agreement.

The Texas Trust Credit Union campus branch will open at 510 S. Center St., at West First Street.

The partnership was facilitated by Nelligan Sports Marketing of Little Falls, N.J., which provides sales and marketing expertise for sports properties across the country.

Mark Devine, the company’s senior vice president, said, “We are thrilled to announce this strategic partnership between UT Arlington and Texas Trust. This university-wide partnership is designed to create a fully collaborative business and educational relationship.”

About UT Arlington

The University of Texas at Arlington is a comprehensive research institution of more than 33,300 students and 2,200 faculty members in the heart of North Texas. It is the second largest institution in The University of Texas System. Total research expenditures reached about $78 million last year. Visit www.uta.edu to learn more.

About Texas Trust Credit Union

Texas Trust, one of the largest credit unions in North Texas and the 21st largest in Texas, provides financial services that enable members to build brighter financial futures. As a full-service financial institution, Texas Trust offers checking, savings, mortgages, credit cards, CDs, Money Market accounts, IRAs, and investment and insurance services. Its business services include SBA and conventional loans, electronic payment cards, checking and money market accounts, merchant card processing, online banking, insurance and the Employee Solutions Network. With assets of $764 million, Texas Trust operates in Dallas, Tarrant, and Henderson counties, as well as parts of Ellis and Johnson counties. It has 15 branches in Mansfield, Grand Prairie, Arlington, Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Hurst and Athens. Texas Trust is a federally insured financial institution. Deposits up to $250,000 are insured by the full faith of the federal government through the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). For more information, visit www.TexasTrustCU.org.

About Nelligan Sports Marketing

NSM provides sales and marketing expertise for sports properties worldwide. NSM is dedicated to building long-term relationships with clients through exceptional management of the properties represented and by maximizing revenue growth through its corporate relationships. NSM's high-level sales executives have a proven track record of exceptional revenue growth and management of the sports properties represented. NSM represents more than 40 collegiate clients, among them Brown University, California State University and Florida Atlantic University. For more information about Nelligan Sports Marketing, please visit www.nelligansports.com.