Student-athletes who reach the pinnacle of success this year in 88 NCAA championships also will be reaching for a sleeker symbol of that victory – though the Association’s newly redesigned championship trophy also continues to pay homage to a tradition.

Designers believe the trophy will be more appealing to today’s student-athletes, with its higher-quality construction from cherry wood and crystal, and such streamlining elements as slightly angled sides, modern championship sport logos and use of color.

But during post-victory celebrations, as teams raise the trophy to the sky in triumph, the photography still will portray a familiar sight: student-athletes hoisting a recognizable symbol of the ultimate achievement in intercollegiate athletics.

“The designers listened to us carefully, and they said the thing that kept coming back – even though we said give us an option that is completely different – was the tradition of the silhouette of the (previous) trophy,” said Jo Jo Rinebold, NCAA managing director of brand strategies and events.

“We kept bringing the UCLA example back to the table. At the time, they had 99 championship trophies — would the 100th trophy look completely out of place?”

An NCAA team including Rinebold and representatives of the national office championships and basketball staffs also preserved the trophy’s symbolism.

“Anybody who’s familiar with the NCAA championships, when they see that silhouette, they know exactly what it is,” said Sharon Cessna, NCAA director of championships. “It has become synonymous with the NCAA championships.”

The trophy, along with smaller versions that will be presented to individual participants in championships, was designed by MTM Recognition, which with Jostens, Inc., supplies the NCAA with all championship awards and also awards for the annual honors program and the Woman of the Year ceremony.

The first team to take its place in the NCAA’s photo gallery of trophy celebrants was Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania, which won the Division II Field Hockey Championship in November.

“Student-athletes – right after jumping on the pile – are looking for that trophy,” Cessna said. “Everyone has to touch it; it’s in every picture they take. It’s really important to them ... it holds a lot of value for them.”