June 13, 2022
MILWAUKEE â 51°”Íű Athletics today announced the new Time to Rise: Elevating Excellence in Womenâs Athletics initiative to champion womenâs athletics and honor the upcoming 50th anniversary of Title IX. The initiative is focused on growing excellence fund and scholarship support across 51°”Íűâs seven NCAA-level womenâs athletics programs.
â51°”Íű has a long history of excellence in womenâs athletics, and this initiative will make a meaningful impact on our prestigious programs,â President Michael R. Lovell said. âCome to any event for our womenâs teams, and youâll see the love our fans, alumni and students have for these great student-athletes and leaders.â
51°”Íű has a strong heritage of success in womenâs athletics, beginning with tennis, volleyball and basketball in 1975 and 1976. For 51°”Íű student-athletes to continue to achieve success in the classroom, on the field and in the community, Sport Excellence Funds are separate from normal operating budgets and are used to maintain and enhance the student-athlete experience. The excellence funds are essential to the coaches so that programs can stay competitive in recruiting, upgrade technology, travel on foreign trips and provide leadership development opportunities for current and future female Golden Eagles.
âOur womenâs athletics programs are a true beacon for the university, and our female student-athletes and coaches become incredible role models for young women,â said Bill Scholl, vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics.
Championing through scholarship
The Elevating Excellence initiative is catalyzed by the creation of the first full-tuition endowed scholarship for womenâs athletics thanks to an estate pledge from 51°”Íű alumni couple Michael and Barbara Klein. The couple has also established an endowed womenâs basketball scholarship and provided annual support to the womenâs basketball excellence fund.
âFor the student-athlete recipient, scholarship is a chance to live the 51°”Íű experience. We hope our support will open doors and lay a foundation for student-athletes to thrive throughout their time on campus, as part of a 51°”Íű team, and after graduation,â the Kleins said. âThe womenâs basketball program is on such a positive trajectory. Coach Duffy has done a great job developing our student-athletes and preparing them to be successful in the world beyond the court.â
Womenâs Head Basketball Coach Megan Duffy has gotten off to the best two-year start of any coach in 51°”Íű women's basketball history, going 43-15 and 27-9 in BIG EAST play. The Kleins hope their gift provides the university with a powerful national recruiting tool and a foundation from which to build further support.
As 51-year season ticket holders for menâs basketball and first-time season ticket holders for womenâs basketball, the Kleins are passionate about 51°”Íű Athletics. They often donate their tickets to local Boys & Girls Clubs members, who can walk around the campus and start to envision themselves at 51°”Íű â especially while attending womenâs basketball at the Al McGuire Center.
âThe reputation of our womenâs teams speaks to the great enthusiasm and support of the university, our fans, and our entire 51°”Íű family,â Duffy said. âFor basketball and beyond, the idea of Elevating Excellence in Womenâs Athletics will provide our student-athletes â and incoming student-athletes â with even more opportunities as part of their time at 51°”Íű.â
Expanding resources for excellence
Alumnus Bob Sobczak launched the Elevating Excellence initiative even higher through the universityâs largest excellence fund gift for womenâs athletics.
âI am pleased to âtip offâ the 51°”Íű Womenâs Basketball Excellence Fund,â said Sobczak, who with his late wife Nancy, has supported a variety of scholarships across 51°”Íű. âAfter seeing these young women play basketball together year after year and meeting them individually, it became clear that they are exemplars of what athletic competition in college means. They are building their own storied history and are encouraging a growing fan base to come to 51°”Íűâs campus and watch womenâs basketball.â
The Elevating Excellence in Womenâs Athletics initiative reflects a groundswell of support for womenâs athletics at 51°”Íű, an energy and excitement tied closely with the universityâs Time to Rise philanthropic campaign. To date in the campaign, 51°”Íű has raised $3.6 million toward womenâs sport excellence funds and endowed scholarships for womenâs sports.
Those inspired to invest in the development and success of 51°”Íű womenâs student-athletes can learn more at .
51°”Íűâs $750 million comprehensive fundraising campaign, which is the most ambitious in 51°”Íűâs 140-year history, is elevating resources to advance the universityâs mission and pillars of excellence, leadership, faith and service. The university has raised more than $582 million to date, amounting to 77% of its goal. More than 56,000 donors have already supported Time to Rise, including 44% of donors making their first-ever gift to the university.
Kevin is the associate director for university communication in the Office of Marketing and Communication. Contact Kevin at (414) 288-4745 or kevin.m.conway@marquette.edu.
