The winners of the Fordham University Varsity Athletic Challenge were announced today, as the women's basketball program took home first place for overall participation.
"Winning the alumni challenge was a total team effort and a great way to finish off a memorable year," said head women's basketball coach Stephanie Gaitley. "We thank all of our alumni for proving that Fordham is a very special place."
The Fordham Athletics Varsity Alumni Challenge pitted each varsity team against each other in a unique form of competition to determine which program could generate the highest percentage of former student-athletes to donate by May 31, 2013. The Challenge winners will be recognized at Homecoming on September 21, 2013 and an official kick-off will be held to open year two of the Challenge.
The women's tennis team took first in the most improved participation category, while women's soccer garnered the top prize for young alumni participation. Women's rowing and men's soccer rounded out category for most money raised from recent graduates.
Each of these winning teams will receive additional funds toward their operating budget.
The prize pool was generously donated by James Kastberg, GSB `85, and Joanne Krebs-Kastberg, GSB `87, as well as an anonymous donor.
"We are very excited about the level of competition that the Varsity Alumni Challenge encouraged, especially among the young alumni," the Kastbergs said upon completion of the challenge. "Having alumni reconnect with and support their teams as well as Fordham is exactly the aim of this Challenge. Next year's Challenge should prove to be even more competitive when bragging rights go back up for grabs."
All of the competitions were close, as women's basketball won by a slim margin of just two gifts and the most-improved race was decided by a single donation.
"If you are involved in sports you always want to win no matter what challenge is brought in front of you, so we are very happy to win this challenge," said head women's soccer coach Ness Selmani, whose program won the young alumni contest. "We used emails and our team's Facebook page to contact our alumnae and we hope to get even more of them involved next year.
"I want to thank all our former players that donated this year, also Mr. & Mrs. Kastberg for their tremendous contribution to our sports at Fordham," Selmani added.
Women's tennis was thrilled to find out they took one of the top spots.
"It means a great deal to me and the team to win this challenge here at Fordham," said women's tennis head coach Bette-Ann Speliotis Liguori. "As a small sport, I can't thank our former players enough for participating and getting us to the top. My players are already looking forward to next year with our eyes set on the overall prize."
The challenge proved a great success throughout the department with a 39.5% increase in giving from former alumni varsity student-athletes. The second year of the challenge kicks off again this fall, but the official counting period began on July 1, 2013 and will end on May 31, 2014.
Women's basketball earned a $10,000 dollar prize for coming in first place overall and the women's tennis team garnered $5,000 for their efforts in the most-improved category. As a reward for their participation from young alumni, women's soccer will receive $2,500, while women's rowing and men's soccer will receive $1,500 and $1,000, respectively.
Help your team win in the second year of the Varsity Alumni Challenge by making your gift today at www.fordham.edu/vac
For more information contact Ryan St. Germain at 212.636.6527 or stgermain@fordham.edu
