COMMERCE – East Texas A&M University has announced a historic multi-year partnership with Alliance Bank, which will serve as the title sponsor of the Lion women's basketball and softball. As part of the agreement, both programs will feature an Alliance Bank jersey patch throughout the next three seasons.
 
"Alliance Bank has been a tremendous partner of East Texas A&M for many years, and we are incredibly excited to expand our relationship through this historic announcement," said East Texas A&M Director of Athletics Jim Curry. "Their commitment to the only Division I women's basketball and softball programs in Northeast Texas highlights a significant investment in our student-athletes and the future of Lion Athletics."
 
"This partnership brings together two organizations that are deeply invested in Northeast Texas, and we are proud to have Alliance Bank alongside us as we continue to elevate the profile of our athletics program."
 
The partnership is believed to be the first jersey patch agreement specifically for women's teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and the first softball-specific jersey patch partnership in the Southland Conference.
 
"My wife, Gina and I, have been long time fans of women's college athletics. Supporting East Texas A&M University women's basketball and softball is an exciting opportunity for Alliance Bank," said Alliance Bank CEO James Law. "We hope our investment encourages others to recognize the strength and value of women's athletics."
 
"Alliance Bank has called Commerce home for many years, and our relationship with Lion Athletics has always felt like a natural fit. Growing our relationship with Lion Athletics is a proud moment for Alliance Bank."
 
A longtime partner of Lion Athletics, Alliance Bank currently has branches in Commerce, Sulphur Springs, Greenville, Rockwall, Mount Vernon, Plano, and Wolfe City.
 
This jersey patch sponsorship marks the second such agreement for Lion Athletics as East Texas A&M previously featured a jersey patch during its football season opener on ESPN, which received a historic audience of 822,000 viewers.
 
The Lion women's basketball team, under the leadership of fourth-year head coach Valerie King, opens its season at home on November 2, when the Lions will debut the new Alliance Bank jersey patch. The Lion softball team, under the guidance of first-year head coach Rodney DeLong, is slated to begin the 2027 season in February.
 
The partnership between East Texas A&M and Alliance Bank was facilitated by Taymar Sales U.