Since its inception one year ago, the All In campaign for William & Mary Athletics has elevated the university’s ability to build community, ensure equity, increase annual giving and move closer to the $55-million fundraising goal. Today marks an important step forward with the announcement of $1.1 million from generous donors to the W&M Athletics Complex — strengthening the breadth and depth of opportunities for all Division I student-athletes at the university to compete, train and study.
Reimagining the home for W&M Athletics is a top priority of the campaign. Achieving this goal would not be possible without the leadership gifts and vision of Katie Garrett Boehly ’95 and Todd Boehly ’96 and Jennifer Tepper Mackesy ’91 and D. Scott Mackesy ’91, four of the honorary co-chairs of All In.
“It is also the generosity of donors across the W&M community, those who collectively contributed the $1.1 million, who are bringing the complex from vision to reality,” said All In Campaign Chair Sue Hanna Gerdelman ’76, P ’07, P ’13.
Some of those donors include Doug Brown ’71, J.D. ’74 and Escha Brown, Marilyn L. Brown HON ’07, Carol E. Evans ’64, Don Garber ’74 and Betsy Johnson Garber ’77, Gary Hickman ’78 and Hope Hickman, Ron Holmes ’81 and Anne Catlett Holmes, Jim Penny J.D. ’83 and Pamela Jordan Penny ’77, HON J.D. ’16, and Michael Sapnar ’88.
Philanthropy is a primary reason why the complex is possible. The entirety of the W&M Athletics Complex includes a renovated Kaplan Arena, a new Sports Performance Center, Busch Field, the Tribe Field Hockey Center and the Mackesy Tennis Center at the Millie West Courts. The groundbreaking ceremony for the complex will take place on May 9, 2022.
The complex project, which will occur in two phases, will include approximately 167,000 square feet of renovated and new spaces. William & Mary needs to raise an additional $26 million to complete the project.
“We are grateful to these generous donors for leading the charge into the second year of All In,” added Gerdelman. “Their support for our programs and desire to see our student-athletes excel is exactly what we mean when we say, ‘We are going All In for the Tribe.’”
To date, the university has raised more than $29 million toward its $55-million All In fundraising goal. Increasing annual giving to all 23 sports teams is also a key component of reaching the campaign’s priorities and goals, and important to sustaining the momentum from All In for the university’s athletics programs for years to come.
On Tuesday, April 12, 2022, William & Mary will host the 9th annual One Tribe One Day (OTOD) to celebrate and support the vibrant university community. A focus for this year’s OTOD will be increasing support for W&M Athletics. From scholarship support for women athletes to funds for the Athletics Complex, members of the William & Mary community around the world will have the opportunity to directly support All In on OTOD.
“The caliber of our athletics enterprise should match the caliber of our entire academic enterprise, as athletics is a critical component to the overall educational experience at William & Mary,” said W&M Athletics Director Brian Mann.
Phase one of the complex includes construction of the sports performance center. The center will include strength and conditioning areas, study spaces, a new sports medicine area that will benefit all 23 sports and a dedicated practice court. This phase will also include renovated locker rooms and light renovations in Kaplan Arena and a new videoboard and lighting for the arena.
Phase two will improve Kaplan Arena seating and fan amenities and will expand and renovate the entry lobby and building façade to create a new entry and gathering space.
Mann continued, “Thanks to the alumni, parents, faculty, staff and students who have contributed to the campaign and thank you for helping us to elevate our game as we pass the one-year mark. We are on the edge of an exciting new era for the Tribe — All In will ensure we can provide the necessary support to our programs, student-athletes and coaches for decades to come.”
If you are interested in supporting the All In campaign, please visit the giving page, check out this list of naming opportunities or contact Jarrad Turner at (757) 221-2059 or jwturner01@wm.edu.