DeFeet International signs as custom sock provider for USA Wrestling 
   DeFeet International of Hildebran, N.C., a world leader in custom performance socks, has signed an agreement to be custom sock provider to the U.S. National Teams for both Greco-Roman and freestyle.   
 Both teams will introduce the socks at the upcoming 1999 World Championships, Sept. 23-25 for Greco-Roman in Athens, Greece, and October 7-10 for freestyle in Ankara, Turkey.   
 U.S. athletes will be wearing these high performance socks in competition against the best wrestlers on the international scene. The U.S. Greco-Roman World Team is among the best in the world, and features a number of international stars. The U.S. Freestyle World Team is expected to challenge for the team title, and win a number of medals.   
 "In seven years, DeFeet has built its reputation on working with the best athletes (like cycling's Greg LeMond) to develop sports performance socks that can also be customized for branding," said DeFeet President Shane Cooper. "When the opportunity arose to grow into a new market like wrestling and be associated with elite athletes on the U.S. National teams, it made a lot of sense."   
 Jim Scherr, USA Wrestling's executive director, said: "This a unique arrangement which brings together our merchandise division and national teams in an innovative way to market our own brand."   
 As part of the arrangement, DeFeet will outfit the U.S. national teams with socks customized with the USA Wrestling logo on the cuff of socks that will be worn at national and international competition. Also, USAW will market the customized socks through its merchandise division and has plans to license the socks through DeFeet representatives and possibly through USAW clubs, who could customize one-half of the sock with their own club logo.   
 The DeFeet socks are made with DuPont's patented CooLMaX fibers, and are a weave of polyester, nylon, cordura and lycra and can keep a wrestler's feet dry by wicking away persperation from the foot to help enhance performance.   
 DeFeet Vice-President of Marketing Greg Demgen said this is DeFeet's first venture into a "broader sports market" by customizing outside of its core business of cycling and running socks. DeFeet outfits several elite professional cycling teams, including Mapei, the world's No. 1 ranked professional team.   
 USA Wrestling will sell the customized socks for $8.99 and can be ordered by calling 719-598-8181.