Cavalier Corner is the publication just for UVa sports fans!
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Dear Cavalier Friends, I always enjoy this time of year when students are back on Grounds and new seasons of athletics competition begin. There is a noticeable excitement, a renewed energy that per- meates the VAF offices each fall. It's also a great time to thank each of you for your support of our fundraising efforts on behalf of Vir- ginia athletics. We are nearing the final quarter of the fundraising year and the annual fund has reached $13,922,479 or 90 percent of our $15.4 million goal. These gifts rep- resent the generosity of 7,296 do- nors, 887 of them are new donors. Here are some very encouraging numbers as we strive to provide the best possible experience for our student-athletes: ◆ 659 donors increased their gift to the next level (Take It To The Next Level) ◆ 2,650 donors increased their gift by 10 percent or more (I Give 110%) ◆ New endowment commitments total $2,588,305 ◆ 1,340 of our student-athlete alumni have contributed $3,084,709 The impact your gifts are having on the success of Virginia athletics and the experience of our student-athletes can be measured in very tangible ways: ◆ Fourth-place finish in the Learfield Directors' Cup ◆ Overall GPA of 3.002 for all student-athletes in spring 2014 with 305 on the ACC Honor Roll ◆ Eight teams earned the highest GPA in the past 10 years ◆ Three fall sports teams entered the 2014-15 season ranked in the top six nationally Over the summer, there have been major changes to the landscape of college athletics. The NCAA's new model that gives the five major conferences (SEC, ACC, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Big 12) autonomy over some of their own legislation and voting rights for student-athletes will certainly have an impact on future fundraising plans. Already in place is a change in legislation to allow for additional meals and snacks for student-athletes. The athletics department has implemented changes to provide nutritional options for all student-athletes, which will add a significant expense to the budget. Also on the horizon are potential changes to increase the scholarship grant to include the cost of attendance. At UVa the cost of attendance above the full scholarship is calculated at ap- proximately $2,500. These changes come at a time where many schools like us are still working to fund the core budget needs and keeping up with current scholarship costs. Prior to the end of the year, we will determine how much will be needed from our cash reserves to make our scholarship payment to the University. Our annual fund is still very slow to recover from the eco- nomic downturn in 2009 and 2010. Fortunately, the stock market has been working in our favor and many donors are taking advantage of gifting stock to avoid capital gains tax. If you are interested in using stock to pay your pledge or add to your contribution, please contact our office for information. The fall is also a time for fun events for our donors. We kicked off our Fall Social Tour in Madison, Va., on Sept. 8. We will be hosting socials in New York City on Sept. 16, Staunton, Va., on Sept. 30 and Atlanta, Ga,, on Oct. 30. Some of the scheduled guest speakers for the Fall Social Tour include men's baseball head coach, Brian O'Connor, men's lacrosse associate head coach Marc Van Arsdale, men's basketball head coach Tony Bennett, student-athlete Anthony Gill (men's basketball) and former student-athletes Mike Scott, now with the Atlanta Hawks, and Chris Slade (football). We will be hosting the All-Sports Reunion for student- athlete alumni on Oct. 25 that includes a tailgate in conjunc- tion with the UNC versus UVa football game. Other fall events include the 40-Year Milestone Dinner to honor long- time donors on Sept. 26 and a dinner to recognize endowed and scholarship level donors on Oct. 24. We are grateful for the extraordinary loyalty and generosity of each of these individuals. We look forward to a strong finish to the 2014 campaign year. You can be part of this effort by participating in 'Hoos With Us, an initiative to include current donors in our fun- draising efforts. Please consider asking family and friends to become new VAF members in 2014. Imagine what could happen if all 7,296 current donors recruited just one new member! It's an exciting time to be part of Virginia athletics. Thank you for all you do to support the Cavaliers. Your commitment provides a lifetime of memories — for you and our student-athletes. Sincerely, Dirk P. Katstra Executive Director