The University of Delaware football team announced Wednesday that it has partnered with protective equipment manufacturer Riddell as one of a select number of colleges at the NCAA Division I level to deploy the helmet maker’s new Precision-Fit technology this upcoming season.

Riddell Precision-Fit is a process that utilizes state-of-the-art 3-D scanning techniques to build a completely custom-fitting helmet liner system for individual players.

Among those utilizing this new technology is UD redshirt freshman defensive lineman Sal Mauro, who will wear the personalized helmet this coming fall. Mauro will be one of just a handful of NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision student-athletes who will be debuting the SpeedFlex Precision on the field.

The helmet is the latest innovation from Riddell as it looks to continue to work with football programs on improving athlete protection. Riddell will offer a limited release of Precision-Fit helmets for the 2017 season, with expanded availability for football programs expected for the 2018 season.

“I like how the helmet is molded to fit to your head,” said Mauro, a native of Staten Island, New York, who is expected to be a key member of the UD defensive front this coming fall for new head coach Danny Rocco. “There’s no wasted space. The helmets used to be filled with air and sometimes that made it too tight and uncomfortable. I’m excited to see how the helmet feels with the extra padding rather than with the air.”

“The biggest difference is that this helmet is uniquely Sal’s,” said UD equipment manager Kyle Martinell. “The helmet he has now you could take off and put on someone else who fits that size measurement. You cannot do that with the Riddell Precision-Fit line of helmets. It’s a true scan and mold of his head, so it is uniquely his. This new helmet produces surface contact that we haven’t seen before. It will be an advantage for him on the field, not only in the way he plays, but in the area of safety. Sal is a great candidate to be one of the first players to wear this helmet because he’s a great communicator. He’s a good sounding board and his feedback is strong. He has four years left to play here and he plays a position that includes a lot of contact.

The new helmet will provide complete three-dimension customization opportunities by using a seven-step development process.

The first step is for the student-athlete to pick one of the Riddell helmet platforms (SpeedFlex Precision or Speed Precision). Once that is complete, Riddell then uses state-of-the-art technology to capture critical information such as head size and surface.

With the basic specifications of the head determined, the system then analyzes and orients the helmet to athlete’s specific needs.

Next, Riddell uses more software to create the player’s helmet liner system, which includes the players personalized molds, name, and signature. The helmet is then further customized with a choice of facemask, accessories, and team decorations.

Once the helmet is created, Riddell then certifies it for play before being shipped to the athlete.

“Meeting with our local representation and with the University, we felt that Delaware would be an ideal partner to leverage Precision-Fit with its student-athletes,” said Jeffrey Hartung, Riddell key account manager for the Northeast region. “We already have an established relationship with Kyle and his equipment staff, and we appreciate Delaware’s enthusiasm in making this new technology available to its players. We look forward to receiving feedback as the team advances through the season.”

UD football will begin spring practice on April 4 with the annual Blue-White Spring Game and Fandemonium event set for Saturday, May 6. Fandemonium will begin at 4 p.m. followed by the spring game at 6 p.m. in Delaware Stadium.