’Cuse Athletics Fund Records Second-Straight Record Breaking Year
7/11/2024 1:00:00 PM | 'Cuse Athletics Fund
Over $50M Raised to Support the Orange
For the second year in a row, the 'Cuse Athletics Fund ('CAF) has set a new fundraising record in support of Syracuse University Athletics, marking also the fourth year in a row the program has seen growth in both dollars raised and donors. Thanks to the generosity of Orange Nation, 'CAF raised $50 million from 14,367 donors — the largest number of donors in school history and 3,000 more than last year.
"In today's ever-changing college athletics landscape, donor support is more important than ever. Our Orange Athletics family continues to be humbled by the many ways our community rallies behind our program," said Director of Athletics John Wildhack. "On behalf of myself, our coaches and our 600+ student-athletes, I want to offer my sincere thanks to all 'CAF members and donors. Your support provides the competitive advantage we need to succeed and excel."
Support for the 'Cuse Athletics Fund is accumulated through a number of different areas, including annual giving to the Athletics Opportunity Fund, sport-specific fundraising through our Head Coaches' Funds, priority seating contributions from our loyal season ticket holders and capital campaign commitments to the John A. Lally Athletics Complex from our leadership Legends Society donors.
Notable from this year, thanks to the combined efforts of our annual donors and the JMA Wireless Dome Transformation Project, the Athletics Opportunity Fund saw a 257% increase over last year. The Athletics Opportunity Fund serves as the unrestricted annual fund and the lifeblood of SU Athletics. Donors to the Athletics Opportunity Fund doubled in fiscal year 2024 to an all-time high of 2,408 donors.
The Legends Society also saw incredible growth this year, increasing to a total of 264 commitments in support of the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. Thanks to this generosity, construction on the new home of the Orange continues to progress. On September 22, 2023, Syracuse Athletics officially broke ground on one prominent focal point of the project – the Football Performance Center – which is set to be completed in Spring 2025. In 2024-25, we look forward to announcing new fundraising opportunities to support Phase 2 of this multi-year, multi-phase capital project, which will include a Student-Athlete Development Center, Strength & Conditioning Performance Center and an updated Hall of Champions to recognize our program's success and legacy.
"We are so grateful to have our Legends Society donors step up to support Syracuse Athletics' top priorities during such a critical time in our history," said 'Cuse Athletics Fund Interim Executive Director and Associate Athletic Director Jordie Kindervater. "Their foresight and investment will lead us into continued capital enhancement progressions with the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, as well as lead us to championship level success across the board moving forward."
Another exciting and meaningful facility enhancement project tied to the success of the 'Cuse Athletics Fund is the JMA Wireless Dome Transformation Project. Renovations at the Loud House are full steam ahead as we look forward to kicking off the Coach Fran Brown era and the 2024 season with all new chairback seating and renovated premium spaces. As part of this transformation, all season ticket holders for football, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse have had to undergo a "reseating" to select new seat locations for the upcoming seasons. This process is still ongoing and new season tickets for all sports are on-sale now.
While support and momentum for the 'Cuse Athletics Fund has continued to grow exponentially, Syracuse Athletics has also looked to embrace the reality of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and its role in collegiate athletics. As a top-tier athletics program, SU is committed to empowering our student-athletes through the opportunities and revenue avenues now available through NIL. In support of this mission this year, we launched and grew our three SU organizations directly supporting NIL: Orange United, Athletes Who Care and SU Football NIL.
"College athletics is changing. In fact, look only to the addition of our three new ACC peers to see and feel the change that is underway. The one thing that will never change however, is our commitment to creating the best student-athlete experience possible for our 600+ Orange student-athletes," Wildhack said. "Your support of 'CAF and our NIL organizations will continue to be essential to fulfilling this commitment and ensuring our competitive success."
About Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we're a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what's possible.
About the 'Cuse Athletics Fund
The 'Cuse Athletics Fund ('CAF) is the driving force of private support for Syracuse University Athletics. The goal of 'CAF is to provide the resources needed for our 600 student-athletes and 20 sports teams to excel in competition and the classroom. 'CAF relies on the support of annual members, alumni and major gift donors to provide these resources. Thanks to the commitment and passion of our supporters, Syracuse Athletics leverages exceptional athletics and academics to transform student-athletes into leaders and champions. Learn more about the 'Cuse Athletics Fund.
About the Legends Society
The Legends Society is an exclusive group of Syracuse fans, family and alumni who join in this shared vision and are actively supporting the John A. Lally Athletics Complex by making commitments to the capital campaign. Donors to the Legends Society enjoy unique stewardship opportunities in recognition of their support. Learn more about how to support the John A. Lally Athletics Complex and join the Legends Society.
"In today's ever-changing college athletics landscape, donor support is more important than ever. Our Orange Athletics family continues to be humbled by the many ways our community rallies behind our program," said Director of Athletics John Wildhack. "On behalf of myself, our coaches and our 600+ student-athletes, I want to offer my sincere thanks to all 'CAF members and donors. Your support provides the competitive advantage we need to succeed and excel."
Support for the 'Cuse Athletics Fund is accumulated through a number of different areas, including annual giving to the Athletics Opportunity Fund, sport-specific fundraising through our Head Coaches' Funds, priority seating contributions from our loyal season ticket holders and capital campaign commitments to the John A. Lally Athletics Complex from our leadership Legends Society donors.
Notable from this year, thanks to the combined efforts of our annual donors and the JMA Wireless Dome Transformation Project, the Athletics Opportunity Fund saw a 257% increase over last year. The Athletics Opportunity Fund serves as the unrestricted annual fund and the lifeblood of SU Athletics. Donors to the Athletics Opportunity Fund doubled in fiscal year 2024 to an all-time high of 2,408 donors.
The Legends Society also saw incredible growth this year, increasing to a total of 264 commitments in support of the John A. Lally Athletics Complex. Thanks to this generosity, construction on the new home of the Orange continues to progress. On September 22, 2023, Syracuse Athletics officially broke ground on one prominent focal point of the project – the Football Performance Center – which is set to be completed in Spring 2025. In 2024-25, we look forward to announcing new fundraising opportunities to support Phase 2 of this multi-year, multi-phase capital project, which will include a Student-Athlete Development Center, Strength & Conditioning Performance Center and an updated Hall of Champions to recognize our program's success and legacy.
"We are so grateful to have our Legends Society donors step up to support Syracuse Athletics' top priorities during such a critical time in our history," said 'Cuse Athletics Fund Interim Executive Director and Associate Athletic Director Jordie Kindervater. "Their foresight and investment will lead us into continued capital enhancement progressions with the John A. Lally Athletics Complex, as well as lead us to championship level success across the board moving forward."
Another exciting and meaningful facility enhancement project tied to the success of the 'Cuse Athletics Fund is the JMA Wireless Dome Transformation Project. Renovations at the Loud House are full steam ahead as we look forward to kicking off the Coach Fran Brown era and the 2024 season with all new chairback seating and renovated premium spaces. As part of this transformation, all season ticket holders for football, men's basketball, women's basketball, men's lacrosse and women's lacrosse have had to undergo a "reseating" to select new seat locations for the upcoming seasons. This process is still ongoing and new season tickets for all sports are on-sale now.
While support and momentum for the 'Cuse Athletics Fund has continued to grow exponentially, Syracuse Athletics has also looked to embrace the reality of Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) and its role in collegiate athletics. As a top-tier athletics program, SU is committed to empowering our student-athletes through the opportunities and revenue avenues now available through NIL. In support of this mission this year, we launched and grew our three SU organizations directly supporting NIL: Orange United, Athletes Who Care and SU Football NIL.
"College athletics is changing. In fact, look only to the addition of our three new ACC peers to see and feel the change that is underway. The one thing that will never change however, is our commitment to creating the best student-athlete experience possible for our 600+ Orange student-athletes," Wildhack said. "Your support of 'CAF and our NIL organizations will continue to be essential to fulfilling this commitment and ensuring our competitive success."
Syracuse University is a private research university that advances knowledge across disciplines to drive breakthrough discoveries and breakout leadership. Our collection of 13 schools and colleges with over 200 customizable majors closes the gap between education and action, so students can take on the world. In and beyond the classroom, we connect people, perspectives and practices to solve interconnected challenges with interdisciplinary approaches. Together, we're a powerful community that moves ideas, individuals and impact beyond what's possible.
About the 'Cuse Athletics Fund
The 'Cuse Athletics Fund ('CAF) is the driving force of private support for Syracuse University Athletics. The goal of 'CAF is to provide the resources needed for our 600 student-athletes and 20 sports teams to excel in competition and the classroom. 'CAF relies on the support of annual members, alumni and major gift donors to provide these resources. Thanks to the commitment and passion of our supporters, Syracuse Athletics leverages exceptional athletics and academics to transform student-athletes into leaders and champions. Learn more about the 'Cuse Athletics Fund.
About the Legends Society
The Legends Society is an exclusive group of Syracuse fans, family and alumni who join in this shared vision and are actively supporting the John A. Lally Athletics Complex by making commitments to the capital campaign. Donors to the Legends Society enjoy unique stewardship opportunities in recognition of their support. Learn more about how to support the John A. Lally Athletics Complex and join the Legends Society.
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