Bronx, N.Y. (August 12, 2014) - The winners of the second annual Fordham University Varsity Alumni Challenge were announced today, as the women's tennis program took home first place for overall participation.
 "This being my second year of winning, I first and foremost want to thank the Kastbergs for making this Challenge possible," said women's tennis head coach Bette-Ann Speliotis Liguori, whose team took home the Most Improved Participation Award in last year's competition. Bette-Ann went on to say, "They have made it possible for a program with a small alumni base like mine to be able to win significant money. The $10,000 win will have a huge impact on my budget that allows for necessary travel expenses and equipment."

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, 2014. The Challenge winners will be recognized at Homecoming on September 13, 2014, and an official kickoff will be held to open year three of the Challenge.
 

The volleyball team took first in this year's Most Improved Participation category, while squash garnered the top prize for Young Alumni Participation. Women's rowing and water polo rounded out the 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, a former Fordham football player, his wife Joanne Krebs-Kastberg, GSB `87, a former track and cross country runner, 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."

Second year head volleyball coach Gini Ullery was thrilled upon hearing the news her team had taken home a portion of the prize money. "We are excited to receive the support from our Alumni to win the Most Improved Award through the Varsity Alumni Challenge this year. It shows that those who came before are proud to be a part of the future of Fordham volleyball."

Ullery went on to express her gratitude by saying, "I can't begin to thank our Alumni and Mr. & Mrs. Kastberg enough for their support to make this challenge possible. As athletes we thrive on a challenge and what better way is there to challenge our alumni than to allow them to help enrich the overall experience for our current athletes."

This year's competition remained very close throughout, particularly during the final month. There were three lead changes in the overall participation award category over the final 30 days. Women's tennis won the grand prize by a slim margin of just six gifts and the top three places for the young alumni race were separated by a total of nine donations.

The challenge proved a great success throughout the department with a 12.6 percent increase in giving from former alumni varsity student-athletes from the first year of the challenge to this year. The third year of the challenge kicks off again this fall, but the official counting period began on July 1, 2014, and will end on May 31, 2015.

Help your team win in the third year of the Varsity Alumni Challenge by making your gift today at www.fordham.edu/athleticgiving.

For more information, contact Nick Roman at 212-636-6489 or nroman5@fordham.edu.