The story of the USF Bulls is one of meteoric growth, of modern-day pioneers who pushed the envelope and challenged the odds, and of teams and student-athletes who are unstoppable. In just four decades, the Bulls have moved from the fields and courts of an intramural program to the highest echelon of NCAA competition. That journey has been taken through the crossroads of pride and destiny, built by visionaries who helped shape and define the future of USF.
Today, the Bulls stand on a national stage with an opportunity to compete for a seat among the best in college athletics. That opportunity, however, comes with a heady challenge: we must close the gap formed by the centuries of history, tradition and fan support of our competitors. That means (1) leveling the playing fields of competition and practice facilities, (2) building a stable source of funding through endowment, and (3) growing the base of annual givers who provide critical support for academics, scholarships, and recruitment and retention of coaches and staff.
Facilities
The greatest investment challenge for USF Athletics lies with the Bulls’ physical infrastructure. It is no secret that the quality of competition and practice facilities is a crucial factor in recruiting top student-athletes. Talented athletes have many choices when determining where to compete, and facilities that do not meet today’s standards detract significantly from an otherwise intriguing case for their making USF and Tampa Bay their destination of choice.
Today’s sophisticated sports fans also expect top quality venues that are comfortable and amenity-rich. Updating the Bulls’ physical infrastructure will have a direct impact on ticket revenues, sponsorships and the growth of its fan base while furthering USF’s ability to reinvest in its athletics programs. Facility priorities include:
- Athletic Training Facility (completed)
- Men’s and Women’s Basketball Practice Center
- Track and Field Stadium (completed)
- Football Practice Complex
- Baseball Stadium
- Softball Stadium
- Tennis Center
- Soccer Stadium
Scholarships
USF Athletics is committed to graduating student-athletes who are well prepared for life after the final whistle sounds. Some 400 students receive scholarships through Bulls Athletics—an investment in human capital. Scholarship priorities include:
- Full Endowed Scholarship ($400,000 each): Football, Men’s and Women’s Basketball
- Full Endowed Scholarship ($200,000 each): Baseball, Men’s and Women’s Golf, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Women’s Softball, Men’s and Women’s Tennis, Men’s and Women’s Track and Field, Women’s Volleyball
Through the Bulls Heritage Scholars program, donors can fund annual scholarships of at least $10,000 each during their lifetimes and endow them through their estates. Donors are recognized as members of the Iron Bulls Club for each year in which the annual scholarship gift is made and as members of the appropriate athletics cumulative giving society.
Bulls Club – Annual Giving
Annual giving provides the critical budget support that allows the athletics department to provide scholarships for student-athletes, hire and retain quality coaches and staff, and provide critical resources for recruiting, travel, equipment and academic services. There are a variety of levels at which Bulls fans can join the athletics family, build priority points and help grow the entire USF Athletics program.
The goal of USF Athletics is nothing less than to represent the unstoppable nature of the university and to position each team and each student-athlete to compete for national championships.
The Challenge
As USF Athletics prepares to meet its greatest challenge to date, we turn to the alumni, friends, students and fans as well as leaders in business and industry who have rallied around this program and who are united by common threads of passion, a sense of destiny and an unstoppable vision.
We invite the USF family, fans of college athletics and those interested in growing the quality of life in Tampa Bay to join us in supporting the USF Bulls’ continued success on the national stage.
Together, we are unstoppable.
