Welcome to Fundraising Friday, AB Today's weekly digest of recent developments in development.
Adam Wexler, a 2007 graduate of the University of Georgia as well as founder of PrizePicks and CEO of The Hidden Jams, has made the largest philanthropic commitment in UGA Athletic Association history in support of Bulldog men's basketball. According to the school's Thursday announcement, the $10 million commitment will be used for personnel and operating expenses within the Georgia men's basketball program, with a portion going toward the Athletic Director Excellence Fund. This places Wexler among the university's most significant benefactors and reflects an enduring investment in the future of Georgia Athletics, the athletic department said.
Virginia Athletics and the Virginia Athletics Foundation announced Wednesday that Pete and Jodi Lyons are committing $10 million to endow scholarships for UVA’s volleyball and women’s soccer programs, including philanthropic cash support, a VAF match, and a future planned gift. Half of the commitment will go to endow volleyball scholarships named in honor of Pete and Jodi’s fathers, Bernard T. Lyons and Joseph A. Magennis, who were both successful athletes.
Murray State Athletics has received a $2.5 million gift from the Rudolph Family that will further enhance the department's vision for the future through the Leading The Pack campaign while securing naming rights to the field inside Roy Stewart Stadium. According to Tuesday's announcement, new turf will be installed in the football stadium this summer as part of the second phase of the stadium's renovation, and the field will be christened with the name Rudolph Family Field ahead of the 2026 season. It was the third gift exceeding $500,000 announced by Murray State within the past two weeks.
Total amount of these gifts:
$22,500,000
Running total for 2026:
$382,402,000
Total amount tracked by AB Today in 2025:
$1,671,578,500
