AU Athletics

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SupportingAU Athletics

Across each of AU Athleticsâ€™ 16 teams, Eagles are soaring to new heights. Investment rallied by the Change Canâ€™t Wait campaign has sharpened AUâ€™s performative edge and begun a new chapter in athletic excellence. Through history-making training and competition facilities, enhanced support for student-athlete needs, and vital scholarships, Change Canâ€™t Wait has ensured that student-athletes from all sports have the resources they need to succeed in the classroom, on the field, and in their professional careers. A new philanthropic standard has been setâ€”and the entire Eagle community is now ready to take it higher.

Change Created

Empowered student-athletes with state-of-the art facilities through the new Alan and Amy Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance, which will boast state-of-the-art competition, practice, and training facilitiesâ€”including a competition gymnasium for the wrestling and volleyball programsâ€”and new strength and conditioning, sports medicine, and locker room areas.
Enhanced professional skills training tailored to student-athletes through the Stephanie M. Bennett-Smith AU Eagles Life Skills and Leadership Academy, which provides business etiquette, networking activities, leadership seminars, and community service opportunities.
Launched AUâ€™s first sport-specific endowment with the creation of the Steve Jennings Field Hockey Endowment, honoring a beloved coach and showcasing a new model of philanthropic support to offset programmatic costs.
Removed financial barriers and broadened access to top-notch competitive and academic experiences by creating and expanding scholarships that support the long-term, sustainable success of student-athletes on and off the field.
Galvanized donor engagement across the entire AU Athletics community, increasing giving by 110%, recording gifts from 1,797 donors in the campaignâ€™s final year alone, and boosting game attendance by 78 percent in the 2023-2024 Season, with 40,689 total attendees.

Through the Change Canâ€™t Wait campaign, donors, alumni, and friends have built upon the incredible legacy of AU Athletics under director Billy Walker. Our vision for all Eagles is simple: Weâ€™re going to keep putting the student-athletes at the forefront of every decision that we make; weâ€™re going to compete in the classroom and on the playing field; and weâ€™re going to be extremely active in the community. If we do these things consistently, we will develop future leaders that the university will be proud of and provide the best possible experience for our student-athletes.

JM Caparro, Director of Athletics and Recreation