NORMAL (25News Now) – As Illinois State football prepares for a chance at a National Title, the impact is already being felt back at home.
Tuesday, the ISU Athletic department announced a $2.5 million gift by a former ISU quarterback for the football program. It’s the second-largest gift in ISU Athletic history, and the largest specifically for the football team.
In a press release, ISU Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs said the money will go towards recruitment and retention, along with enhancing the program.
“We are grateful for this generous gift and the trust in Redbird Athletics and the Redbird Football program that it represents,” Beggs said. “We are excited about the success of our football program this year, and this investment will help us prosper and grow for years to come.”
In an earlier story 25news did, both Beggs and Director of alumni engagement Kris Harding shared that having a national spotlight on ISU would only benefit the university.
“Seeing former student-athletes invest into their program is a dream,” ISU Deputy Director of Athletics Paul Kabbes said. “This former quarterback truly loves the Redbirds and his football program. We can’t say thank you enough for the investment in Coach Spack, his staff, and the 100+ young men who get to wear the red and white. We look forward to sharing more details soon about this commitment, however now I ask all Redbirds to help us take the next step in elevating this program. There is no time better than the present!”
An interesting thing to note is the direct correlation these investments have had on the success of the team.
The past two investments, 2013 stadium renovations and the opening of a new training center in 2023 has led to multiple playoff appearances, including the only other time the Redbirds played for the National title back in 2014.
“Investments like this in our program are transformational for us and key to the future success of our team on a national scale,” ISU Football Head Coach Brock Spack said. “Support like this from former Redbird Football players shows a true commitment and pride in a program that gave them so much when they were on campus. This commitment will not only help us recruit and retain some of the best players in the country, but it will also help our program stay in the national spotlight for years to come. We cannot thank this anonymous donor enough, and we are excited to see everyone in Nashville on January 5.”
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