Miami University Director of Athletics David Sayler announced today that the Graduating Champions Campaign has officially surpassed its goal of $80-million.
 
"What an awesome accomplishment to surpass our first-ever Athletics-only capital campaign goal of $80 million at Miami," Sayler said. "Great committee leadership, generous donors and creative vision got us to this point. I want to thank our entire ICA fundraising staff, all the staff at the Miami University Foundation, and, of course our fantastic donors."
 
Upon Sayler's arrival at Miami, he quickly identified significant areas of need in facility, scholarship and program support. In the spring of 2015, when the campaign officially kicked off, he shared this: "Miami is nationally recognized for excellence in teaching, academics and a top-rated undergraduate experience. Likewise, our athletic programs can and should be nationally respected for their ability to win championships and graduate scholars and leaders. The Graduating Champions Campaign is bringing alumni and friends together to provide the facilities and resources needed to meet those goals."
 
Foundational Facilities
Since that time, private donor support has helped build the modern empire of Miami Athletics, with facilities that impact every varsity sport. These include the building of the Dauch Indoor Sports Center (DISC), Miami Varsity Tennis Courts, the Jay Hayden Baseball Center and the turfing of McKie Field at Hayden Park, the Leahy Performance Center at the Goggin Ice Center and the Athletic Performance Center. It also includes renovation of Yager West for Olympic Sports and updates to Millett Hall. Renovation of the Miami Soccer Field Complex is starting this spring.
 

Scholarship Success
Another focus of the campaign was to significantly increase scholarship support, which has strengthened Miami's ability to recruit top students and athletes and to reduce scholarship demands on the overall athletic department budget. This includes an infusion of more than $24 million in endowments and scholarships. Miami Golf benefited tremendously from the support, with the program reaching full endowment status.

Impact
Nearly half of the funding raised for the Graduating Champions supported facilities, while the other half addressed scholarship, endowment and program support.

"The success of the Graduating Champions campaign is yet another example of how Miami University develops leaders in all walks of life," Miami President Gregory P. Crawford said. "The donors who have supported this campaign recognize that excellence at Miami extends beyond athletics to the classroom and into the community, preparing our students to be leaders in their careers and civic lives. This is Love and Honor in action."

The Campaign's impact is already being felt competitively, with recruiting, retention of coaches and improved performance.

"Our goals were to address significant needs for Intercollegiate Athletics and to reinforce it as a priority at Miami," said Steering Committee Chair Jay Hayden '74. "I am thankful for the committee support and for the many volunteers and donors who stepped up to help us successfully complete the campaign and our goals. We appreciate your generosity in moving our program forward to attract talented young people, and your leadership in putting Miami Athletics in a position of strength to be successful."

"The successful completion of the Graduation Champions Campaign goal is an exceptional accomplishment and is a testament to the care and commitment our alumni have for Miami," said Tom Herbert, Senior Vice President for University Advancement. "The campaign has helped heighten awareness of our varsity sports programs and truly inspired support in time, talent and treasure for the betterment of our student-athletes." 

 

Prior to Campaign kickoff, Miami's varsity men's sports ranked last in the Mid-American Conference while the women were in the top three. After the 2017-18 season, the men's programs had moved up to third in annual conference standings and the women, second. All this has taken place while record GPA's and graduation rates have excelled and remain in the top of the country for Division I athletics, including 28 straight semesters with a cumulative GPA above a 3.0. The Fall 2018 semester GPA was a 3.26.

Symbolic of Miami's rise, the department received the Mid-American Conference's Carol Cartwright Award this summer for being the best athletic department in the conference based on competitive and academic excellence and citizenship. Awarded annually, this is the first time Miami has won the award. Community service from last year set a new departmental record of almost 5,000 hours. And, competitive momentum from last year has spilled over into the Fall, with the department capturing four conference titles already this year, along with three conference coaches of the year. Five of six Miami teams qualified for postseason play this Fall. In all, Miami has won 31 conference titles during Sayler's tenure.

In addition to Hayden, the Graduating Champions Campaign Steering Committee also included a number of notable Miami alumni and friends: Randy Ayers '78 (men's basketball), Dr. Richard Chaifetz, David Dauch '86 (football), Wayne Embry '58 (men's basketball), John Harbaugh '84 (football), Peter Mogk '85 (baseball and soccer), Andrea Parker Simpson '82 (field hockey), Dick Spinell and Colleen Jones Underhill '77 (women's tennis).

The campaign will officially be celebrated at "A Night for Red and White," the inaugural auction gala to support student-athlete scholarships. It will be held on Friday, April 12, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Cincinnati. For details on the auction, click HERE.