Case For Support
Greetings from Lion Country!
Our Lion Athletics family –coaches, administration, campus partners, current LCF donors, season ticket holders, faculty, staff, students, community and TAMUC alumni – are empowered with our department’s mission to provide and represent a “Best in Class” experience for our talented 436 student-athletes.
The Lion Champions Fund allows us to provide this vehicle for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in critical life skill development. Without the support of Lion Champions Fund donations, our success would not be possible.
Our competitive success has never been more evident, with our FIRST NCAA Division II Football National Championship. It was also our first NCAA team championship in our storied history. In addition to our team bringing the pinnacle trophy home, we were also the first institution in NCAA history to sweep football’s “Triple Crown” – National Champions, Harlon Hill Award winner (quarterback Luis Perez), and the NCAA Elite 90 Award (linebacker Garrett Blubaugh), given to the top-ranked student-athlete competing in each of the NCAA’s 90 championship events. Garrett currently has an almost perfect GPA in Biology/Pre-Medicine.
Among other program highlights, volleyball ended their season with the first NCAA tournament appearance since 1988, and Track and Field claimed three individual national champions this year – with DeVontae Steele in the men’s indoor triple jump, Florian Obst in the men’s outdoor decathlon (repeat champion), and our men’s indoor 4x400m relay. This spring, we achieved two significant milestones – with softball claiming their first regional championship in program history, and men’s basketball winning their first NCAA tournament game since 2005.
Most importantly, we witnessed tremendous success in the classroom this past year with a 3.19 cumulative grade point average, a successful Lion Leadership Academy launch, and 4,989 hours of community service completed among student-athletes and athletics staff. Our academic achievements, leadership programming, and community involvement are a direct reflection of the importance placed on our James Thrower Student-Athlete Success Center, which was made possible by Lion Champions Fund Support.
Though our philanthropic support has grown and is celebrated, you will see that we still have historical financial challenges that need to be conquered in order to maintain our current level of success academically and athletically. The following information outlines the difference that your gift of any size will continue to make in the development of our “Best in Class” vision for our student-athlete experience.
The choice to make a gift to the Lion Champions Fund is an investment in the lives of our student-athletes that will pay dividends in their lives and all of our communities. We thank you for your interest in financially supporting YOUR Lions, and choosing to invest in our student-athletes!
Go Lions!
Tim McMurray
Director of Athletics
Case For Support
Greetings from Lion Country!
Our Lion Athletics family –coaches, administration, campus partners, current LCF donors, season ticket holders, faculty, staff, students, community and TAMUC alumni – are empowered with our department’s mission to provide and represent a “Best in Class” experience for our talented 436 student-athletes.
The Lion Champions Fund allows us to provide this vehicle for excellence in the classroom, in competition, and in critical life skill development. Without the support of Lion Champions Fund donations, our success would not be possible.
Our competitive success has never been more evident, with our FIRST NCAA Division II Football National Championship. It was also our first NCAA team championship in our storied history. In addition to our team bringing the pinnacle trophy home, we were also the first institution in NCAA history to sweep football’s “Triple Crown” – National Champions, Harlon Hill Award winner (quarterback Luis Perez), and the NCAA Elite 90 Award (linebacker Garrett Blubaugh), given to the top-ranked student-athlete competing in each of the NCAA’s 90 championship events. Garrett currently has an almost perfect GPA in Biology/Pre-Medicine.
Among other program highlights, volleyball ended their season with the first NCAA tournament appearance since 1988, and Track and Field claimed three individual national champions this year – with DeVontae Steele in the men’s indoor triple jump, Florian Obst in the men’s outdoor decathlon (repeat champion), and our men’s indoor 4x400m relay. This spring, we achieved two significant milestones – with softball claiming their first regional championship in program history, and men’s basketball winning their first NCAA tournament game since 2005.
Most importantly, we witnessed tremendous success in the classroom this past year with a 3.19 cumulative grade point average, a successful Lion Leadership Academy launch, and 4,989 hours of community service completed among student-athletes and athletics staff. Our academic achievements, leadership programming, and community involvement are a direct reflection of the importance placed on our James Thrower Student-Athlete Success Center, which was made possible by Lion Champions Fund Support.
Though our philanthropic support has grown and is celebrated, you will see that we still have historical financial challenges that need to be conquered in order to maintain our current level of success academically and athletically. The following information outlines the difference that your gift of any size will continue to make in the development of our “Best in Class” vision for our student-athlete experience.
The choice to make a gift to the Lion Champions Fund is an investment in the lives of our student-athletes that will pay dividends in their lives and all of our communities. We thank you for your interest in financially supporting YOUR Lions, and choosing to invest in our student-athletes!
Go Lions!
Tim McMurray
Director of Athletics
Dr. Mark Rudin
PRESIDENT, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY-COMMERCE
LCF BENCHMARKING 2017
Although we have made fantastic strides in philanthropic support over the past year, we are still behind our competition. Growing support through the Lion Champions Fund remains our number one priority. These funds allow our student-athletes and coaches to compete at the highest levels academically, athletically, and in serving our communities.
Private Support Raised 2017
Alex Shillow
SPORT AND RECREATION MANAGEMENT | CLASS OF 2019 | 3.93GPA | NATIONAL CHAMPION
Raven Porter
PUBLIC HEALTH | CLASS OF 2018 | FUTURE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL | 3.48 GPA
Dr. John Humphreys
PROVOST & VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Luis Perez
National Champion I 2017 Harlon Hill Trophy Winner | Alumni
Garrett Blubaugh
ELITE 90 WINNER | BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES PRE-MED | CLASS OF 2019 | 3.96 GPA
Florian OBST
2017 & 2018 OUTDOOR DECATHLON NATIONAL CHAMPION
HOLLY & J.P. MULLIGAN
FORMER LETTERWINNERS | LION CHAMPIONS FUND DONORS
LCF Donor Benefits
The best way to support Lion student-athletes is through a generous contribution to the Lion Champions Fund.
A Lion Champions Fund donation is not only an investment in our student-athletes, but also gives you the opportunity to enjoy some exclusive benefits.
