Welcome to Fundraising Friday, AB Today's weekly digest of recent developments in development.
Chase Fisher, a 2010 graduate of San Diego State University and founder of Blenders Eyewear, has pledged a $5 million gift to the Aztec men’s basketball program to support recruitment and retention as it prepares for a 2026 move into the Pac-12 Conference. Announced Oct. 17, the five-year gift to the SDSU MESA men’s basketball recruitment and retention fund follows $275,000 in previous philanthropy from Blenders to support SDSU athletics.
The University of North Texas athletic department has received a $4.6 million gift from Tom and Kristy Weger, of Coppell Construction Company, marking the largest philanthropic contribution in UNT Athletics history. According to the department's Thursday announcement, the Wegers' gift will support the completion of the UNT Athletic Center expansion and establish the Weger Family Strength and Conditioning Center, a state-of-the-art facility designed to enhance the development, performance and wellbeing of Mean Green student-athletes across all sports.
The basketball court inside the new EECU Center at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas, will bear the names Scott and Lenna Summy, thanks to a $2 million gift to support Texans athletics. The EECU Center, a two-story multipurpose arena, will seat up to 8,000 fans for NCAA Division I basketball games, as well as host conferences, concerts, conventions and community events. The Summys were recognized on Oct. 18 for their gift, according to the athletic department's announcement.
The iconic blue synthetic turf at Boise State University's Albertsons Stadium will be refreshed, thanks to a $1.5 million anonymous gift to Boise State Athletics. As reported Tuesday by ABC affiliate KIVI in Nampa, Idaho, the new turf will be installed ahead of the 2026 football season, marking the sixth time Boise State has replaced the playing surface since it first turned blue in 1986.
UCLA Athletics announced Tuesday that it has received a gift of $1 million for the UCLA football program from the estate of Richard Shtiller, a long-time supporter of Bruins football and a member of the Wooden Athletic Fund.
The University of Virginia athletic department has received an anonymous $1 million commitment to fully endow a Virginia men’s lacrosse scholarship, marking the third seven-figure gift to Cavalier men’s lacrosse in the past two months. According to Tuesday's announcement, the latest gift, made by an alumnus of the program, fully funds one out-of-state scholarship from the seven-figure personal commitment, plus Virginia Athletic Foundation matching funds. It establishes the 1986 Men’s Lacrosse Team Endowed Scholarship Fund, which is the third men’s lacrosse endowed scholarship in honor of a specific team (the others being 1991 and 1999).
Total amount of these gifts:
$15,100,000
Running total for 2025:
$1,177,118,500
Total amount tracked by AB Today in 2024:
$943,830,339
