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Hawai‘i Athletics is Hawai‘i

We work hard, we have pride in what we do, and we are one family. When times are tough, we come together and face the obstacles head on. In recent years, the ability to maintain and grow our Division I programs has become challenging. We are at the crossroads of being one of the ‘haves’ versus the ‘have nots.’

Today, more than ever, we need your help.

— Ben Jay, Athletics Director

Highest College Athletics Travel Costs in the Nation, Help!

UH Athletics spends approximately $5.6 million annually on travel and travel subsidies and guarantees. Help us build UH Rainbow Warrior pride around the U.S. and recruit the nation’s best student-athletes by contributing to crowdfunding campaign now through 7/7/2014. Share this with your friends and help us reach our $10,000 goal!

Private Funding Requirements

If we are to achieve our goal as a Division I-A athletics program, private investment will be critical to increase support for student-athletes, improve fan experiences by upgrading current athletic venues, and improve recruiting support for our coaches.

A $32 Million Operating Budget Must Grow to a $40 Million Budget by 2018

Priority Facility Renovation Project – Goal $40 million

Quality facilities are a tangible measurement of an athletic program’s pride and success. Clean, up-to-date and well-maintained lockers and training rooms, enjoyable competition venues and well-designed facilities attract top athletes, coaches and fans. Key facilities renewal projects are necessary to renovate, repurpose and create buildings that are expected of a leading Division I team.

Community support will be essential.


Academic & Competitive: HAWAI‘I’S TEAM

The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa (UHM) is ranked among the top 150 universities in the world according to the 2013 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU). This places UH Mānoa among the top 67 U.S. institutions.

With more than 20,000 students, UHM is a NCAA Division I-A institution with more than 470 young men and women competing in 21 intercollegiate sports (7 men’s, 12 women’s and 2 coed). Hawai‘i Athletics is the highest level of live-sport competition in the state. It also holds the coveted position as “Hawai‘i’s Team” by an enthusiastic fan base.

In 2013, under the leadership of Athletics Director Ben Jay, the UHM Department of Intercollegiate Athletics developed a strategic plan to elevate the department’s ability to provide high quality, high integrity experiences for its student-athletes.

The plan provides an opportunity to enhance our winning tradition, both on and off the field, for student-athletes, stakeholders and fans, while pursuing an aggressive strategy to refocus and transform the department into a NCAA Division I-A Top 50 national program.

This plan involves you!

Success for Life

The UHM Athletics Department serves student-athletes through an academic degree program and through intercollegiate sports to develop their capabilities to the fullest. It promotes sportsmanship, equal opportunity and diversity among participants in our athletics programs.

Additionally, the department contributes to economic development in Hawai‘i through its athletic events, which bring excitement to our alumni and fans, and to the supporters and stakeholders of the University of Hawai‘i.

UHM student-athletes and teams consistently display competitive excellence — in the classrooms and on the fields of play — contributing to our rich and celebrated history.

The department’s training and competitive facilities are its classrooms, wherein talented student-athletes hone their skills and reach their potential. Coaches prepare student-athletes for competition and success as students, athletes and citizens. Coaches teach life lessons that nurture future leaders, emphasizing personal responsibility. Our teams focus on winning, but winning transcends the final score of any game or grade point average.

Winning is about succeeding in life.

Anyone who has ever experienced the power and energy of a perennial sports power in a true ‘sports fan state’ knows the kind of synergy and prosperity it affords a community.

This is a rare and special combination, and one that produces the most consistently successful sports teams in the country.

— Ben Jay, Athletics Director

Join Us

Make an investment in our future

As a vibrant NCAA Division I-A Top 50 national program, Hawai‘i Athletics has the potential to generate significant growth and income for the University of Hawai‘i and become an economic driver for the state. It can be a catalyst for other business growth and prosperity, providing increasing sports revenue from events and visitor spending from traveling teams, and attracting lucrative business partnerships.

Successful athletic programs build strong student and community leaders

The UHM Athletics Department has a tremendous responsibility in developing and inspiring student-athletes to strive for the highest levels of sportsmanship and performance in intercollegiate sports. Furthermore, participation in sports helps student-athletes develop leadership skills, discipline, commitment and teamwork to become winners in the classroom and leaders in life. Successful athletes become influential community mentors, inspiring the next generation of UH Rainbow Warriors and Rainbow Wahine.

This community is going to be called to action like never before. We will rely upon our community — all who call themselves avid supporters of Hawaiʻi Athletics — to decide with their financial resources the quality and level of competitive success they want from this athletics program.

— Ben Jay, Athletics Director

With a sense of urgency, we need your commitment to help us:

  • Strengthen our position as a nationally respected NCAA Division I-A Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) athletics program by achieving consensus status as a national Top 50 athletics program.
  • Enhance current and develop new revenue generation opportunities to achieve a sustainable and competitive operation budget that supports a Top 50 athletics program.
  • Significantly improve our athletic competition and practice facilities to compete in the recruitment of the best student-athlete talent.
  • Significantly improve game-day venue experiences.
  • Compete for conference championships every year.
  • Significantly increase student-athlete academic success, striving for the 90th percentile nationally.
  • Transform our student-athlete health, strength and conditioning, and nutrition programs.
  • Be a national model in program leadership, management and NCAA compliance.

Building Partnerships for the Future of Hawai‘i Athletics



 

 

Your support will help us:

  • Renovate historic Klum Gym into a new dual-purpose training and practice facility.
  • Renovate women’s softball facility to include offices, locker rooms and other amenities.
  • Renovate and expand athletic training and rehabilitation space.
  • Renovate soccer practice field into an on-campus competitive soccer facility.
  • Install short game golf practice area.
  • Renovate baseball stadium locker rooms, restrooms and fan amenities.
  • Replace Mondo track around Clarence T.C. Ching Field.
  • Install football video towers at practice fields.
  • Implement Stan Sheriff Center modernization project.
  • Install tennis office building and open air roof shelter for six courts.
  • Update athletic department’s administrative and coaches offices.

COACHES' CHOICE:  Giving Where It Matters Most

Coaches are constantly faced with program needs that they may or may not have the financial resources for. Securing everyday items to support their practices or athletes’ game experiences may be a struggle during these challenging times.  That’s where the UH Coaches’ Choice Donor program comes in.

Join the Crowd

Mahalo!

Make A Gift

For more information, please contact:

Kimo Kai
Associate Athletics Director – Philanthropic Partnerships
Phone (808) 956-8769
[email protected]