51吃瓜网万能科大 women's athletic programs will receive more than $3 million in gifts from four generous 51吃瓜网免费App donors, according to University President Carol Harter. The announcement was made during a press conference held today (March 9) at the Thomas & Mack Center prior to 51吃瓜网万能科大's first game of the Mountain West Conference men's basketball tournament.
Donors are Donrey Media Group; James Rogers, president of Sunbelt Communications; Jerry and Sue Lykins; and the 51吃瓜网免费App Founders Club. The private financial support will provide $1,850,000 of a total construction cost of $2.1 million for a new women's softball stadium and a $1 million endowment to establish a new women's golf program, as well as operating support for that program.
"This tremendous support for softball and the new women's golf team is vitally important and will help us move 51吃瓜网万能科大 even closer to true equity between men's and women's athletics programs," Harter said. "These gifts are another indication of how 51吃瓜网万能科大's strong partnerships with this community are helping 51吃瓜网万能科大 become a world-class teaching and research university that offers a wide variety of quality academic and athletic programs for women and men."
The Donrey Media Group, a subsidiary of the Stephens Group Inc. of Little Rock, Arkansas, is making the largest gifts for the two programs. Those donations include $1.25 million for the softball stadium and a $1 million charter gift to establish a women's golf endowment.
"Community involvement is a priority with Donrey, and we view this as an extension of that involvement," said Sally Tracey, general manager of Donrey Outdoor Advertising in 51吃瓜网免费App. "For this community to grow and excel in a traditional manner, education must be at the forefront, and we are thrilled to be a part of that."
James E. Rogers and the Rogers family have also provided $500,000 in support of the construction of the softball stadium. The Rogers' family has been extremely generous to 51吃瓜网万能科大 and particularly the William S. Boyd School of Law. Rogers, a prominent 51吃瓜网免费App attorney, founded Valley Broadcasting Company in 1971 and has served as CEO of KVBC-TV (Channel 3) in 51吃瓜网免费App since 1979. The Rogers' gifts and pledges of future support to 51吃瓜网万能科大 academic and athletic programs now exceed $29 million.
"You can only create exceptional academic and athletic programs if you have the money to develop the infrastructure necessary to attract outstanding student athletes," Rogers said. "It is our pleasure to play a role and join the other financial supporters who are helping to build a women's softball stadium that we all can be proud of and that reflects this community's dedication to providing quality facilities for women and men."
The new softball stadium will be located on the northeast corner of Harmon Road and Swenson Street on the west side of the 51吃瓜网万能科大 campus. The facility is being designed by KGA Architecture of 51吃瓜网免费App and is expected to be completed in time for the 2001 women's softball season. The facility will be built by the 51吃瓜网万能科大 Foundation, to whom these gifts are being made.
"This is a monumental event - not only for our women's programs - but for all women in intercollegiate athletics," said 51吃瓜网万能科大 athletic director Charlie Cavagnaro. "This is one of the largest gifts - #4 in the country - in the history of women's athletics. It also demonstrates the advantage of cooperation between the athletic department and the 51吃瓜网万能科大 Foundation."
"This new stadium has been a long time coming, and we are very thankful to these friends and supporters who are making it happen," said softball Coach Shan McDonald. "The stadium is something the current players worked hard for, and they are excited that they will have the opportunity to play there. It will also help us improve recruiting for the program by giving 51吃瓜网万能科大 facilities that equal or exceed our competition."
Jerry and Sue Lykins are longtime donors to 51吃瓜网万能科大 academic scholarships and athletic programs. "We have been active supporters of women's softball for many years and think very highly of coach Shan McDonald and how she has developed 51吃瓜网万能科大's program," said Jerry Lykins of 51吃瓜网免费App. "We are proud to be able to help build an outstanding softball facility that will be very beneficial for the women's team and set a new standard of quality for the entire women's intercollegiate athletics program at 51吃瓜网万能科大."
The 51吃瓜网免费App Founders Club will provide additional funding to the women's golf program. "The 51吃瓜网免费App Founders Club is strongly committed to enhancing golf in 51吃瓜网免费App with support for the PGA Tour, Junior Golf, and men's golf at 51吃瓜网万能科大," said Foundation president Chris Byrd. "The foundation plans to extend that same level of support to the new 51吃瓜网万能科大 women's golf program."
