2025 Giving Day + March Mania Provides Record-Setting Support For Lehigh Athletics
3/27/2025 1:58:00 PM | Athletics, Support, Features
Giving Day + March Mania proved to be a record-breaking success. Now in its second year as a combined giving challenge that saw Lehigh Athletics collaborate with Lehigh Development and Alumni Relations, Giving Day + March Mania resulted in another year of record-setting support for the Athletics Department. The combined challenge generated more than $3 million from more than 4,600 donors, while Athletics & Campus Athletics collectively raised $1,775,061 from 2,952 donors from 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, March 25, through 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 26. Athletics' portion of Giving Day + March Mania surpassed last year's totals by 22 percent. The number of donors to athletics increased by 19 percent over last year's campaign.
"On behalf of the entire Lehigh athletic department, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who contributed to this year's annual Giving Day + March Mania campaign," said Lehigh Goodman Dean of Athletics Jeremy Gibson. "Your generosity plays an essential role in advancing the mission of our athletics program, providing resources that directly support our student-athletes and coaches. Your gifts make it all possible and your support ensures that we continue to nurture the next generation of leaders, athletes, and champions. The impact of your contribution extends far beyond the field or court—it strengthens our community and inspires the pursuit of excellence in everything we do. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to our vision for the future success of our program. Thank you for helping Lehigh Athletics build a legacy of achievement and for empowering our student-athletes to reach their fullest potential."
This year's competition among sports alumni groups returned, with the top five sports alumni bodies earning extra funds for their programs. Women's Soccer had the highest alumni participation among the athletics department. In addition, the team with the most dollars, and the team with the most donors earned extra funds for their respective programs. This year, Football had the most dollars and most donors!
Highest alumni participation rate by sport unlocks -
1st – Women's Soccer - $3,000
2nd – Women's Basketball - $2,500
3rd – Women's Golf - $2,000
4th – Wrestling - $1,500
5th – Softball - $1,000
Sport with the most overall dollars unlocks - $1,000 – Football
Sport with the most overall donors unlocks - $1,000 – Football
Total Prize Money - $12,000
Lehigh Athletics would also like to recognize and offer special thanks to our challengers whose generous support of matching gifts significantly impacted our success! those challengers include: Kevin Clayton '80, '13P, Lisa Clayton '13P, Laura D'Orsi '87, '27P, Susan Sachs '77, Mac Purvis Jr. '77, Howard Polsky '73, Liz Hainey '83, Cathy Engelbert '86, '23P, Anne Tierney '03, Nancy Merritt '04, Brian Merritt '99, Shannon Doherty Portell '01, Paul Portell '94, Bill Ribbecke '98, Kristi Campbell Ribbecke '99, Justina Barone Lambert '03, Chris Lambert '03, Vince Volpe '80, Robert Esposito '95, Joe Verdi '07, Bill White '72, Michi Matter Jigarjian '02, Cliff Chapman '91, Jeff Newman '83, Jeff Bosland '88, Jim Reilly '84, Peter Housman '73, Eric Brown '91, Mike Butz '94, Hector Martinez '95, Ted Smith '08, Jon Guynes '05, Perry Smith '87, Lance Haynes '94, Bill Schlegel '74, Kathy Schlegel '75, Jay Canell '89, Neil Canell '89, Paul Barnes '76, Rich deMoll '72, Bryan Dunn '74, Ollie Foucek '72, Troy List '11, and several generous anonymous donors!
Giving Day + March Mania may be over, but you can still support Lehigh Athletics. Lehigh's fiscal year ends June 30.
Click HERE to make a gift, or mail any donations to:
Lehigh University Athletics
Attention – Lisa Landis
641 Taylor Street
Bethlehem, PA 18015
**Remember to make your check payable to "Lehigh University" and include the sports program and/or The Dean's Fund for Athletics Excellence on the memo line of the check.
"On behalf of the entire Lehigh athletic department, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you who contributed to this year's annual Giving Day + March Mania campaign," said Lehigh Goodman Dean of Athletics Jeremy Gibson. "Your generosity plays an essential role in advancing the mission of our athletics program, providing resources that directly support our student-athletes and coaches. Your gifts make it all possible and your support ensures that we continue to nurture the next generation of leaders, athletes, and champions. The impact of your contribution extends far beyond the field or court—it strengthens our community and inspires the pursuit of excellence in everything we do. We are deeply grateful for your commitment to our vision for the future success of our program. Thank you for helping Lehigh Athletics build a legacy of achievement and for empowering our student-athletes to reach their fullest potential."
This year's competition among sports alumni groups returned, with the top five sports alumni bodies earning extra funds for their programs. Women's Soccer had the highest alumni participation among the athletics department. In addition, the team with the most dollars, and the team with the most donors earned extra funds for their respective programs. This year, Football had the most dollars and most donors!
Highest alumni participation rate by sport unlocks -
1st – Women's Soccer - $3,000
2nd – Women's Basketball - $2,500
3rd – Women's Golf - $2,000
4th – Wrestling - $1,500
5th – Softball - $1,000
Sport with the most overall dollars unlocks - $1,000 – Football
Sport with the most overall donors unlocks - $1,000 – Football
Total Prize Money - $12,000
Lehigh Athletics would also like to recognize and offer special thanks to our challengers whose generous support of matching gifts significantly impacted our success! those challengers include: Kevin Clayton '80, '13P, Lisa Clayton '13P, Laura D'Orsi '87, '27P, Susan Sachs '77, Mac Purvis Jr. '77, Howard Polsky '73, Liz Hainey '83, Cathy Engelbert '86, '23P, Anne Tierney '03, Nancy Merritt '04, Brian Merritt '99, Shannon Doherty Portell '01, Paul Portell '94, Bill Ribbecke '98, Kristi Campbell Ribbecke '99, Justina Barone Lambert '03, Chris Lambert '03, Vince Volpe '80, Robert Esposito '95, Joe Verdi '07, Bill White '72, Michi Matter Jigarjian '02, Cliff Chapman '91, Jeff Newman '83, Jeff Bosland '88, Jim Reilly '84, Peter Housman '73, Eric Brown '91, Mike Butz '94, Hector Martinez '95, Ted Smith '08, Jon Guynes '05, Perry Smith '87, Lance Haynes '94, Bill Schlegel '74, Kathy Schlegel '75, Jay Canell '89, Neil Canell '89, Paul Barnes '76, Rich deMoll '72, Bryan Dunn '74, Ollie Foucek '72, Troy List '11, and several generous anonymous donors!
Giving Day + March Mania may be over, but you can still support Lehigh Athletics. Lehigh's fiscal year ends June 30.
Click HERE to make a gift, or mail any donations to:
Lehigh University Athletics
Attention – Lisa Landis
641 Taylor Street
Bethlehem, PA 18015
**Remember to make your check payable to "Lehigh University" and include the sports program and/or The Dean's Fund for Athletics Excellence on the memo line of the check.
Undergraduate Commencement
Sunday, May 18
Graduate Commencement & Doctoral Hooding
Saturday, May 17
Commencement - Undergraduate Degrees
Sunday, May 19
Commencement - Graduate Degrees
Saturday, May 18
