Not long ago it surfaced that Mark Richt had made out-of-pocket payments to his assistants when he felt they had earned more than their contracted salaries had given them. But it turns out that Richt isn't the only big-time college coach willing to put his money where his mouth is where supporting his program is concerned.Virginia head coach Mike London announced over the holiday weekend that he will be donating some $225,000 towards the construction of the Cavaliers' new indoor practice facility. The donation brings the total raised towards the facility to $9.5 million overall, with $13 million needed to break ground.
“Coach London’s generosity toward the indoor practice facility makes a very clear point about its importance; this is our top priority,” Cavalier athletic director Craig Littlepage said. Littlepage has targeted February as the deadline for raising the necessary remaining $3.5 million, a date that would see the facility open in time for fall camp in 2013.
“The indoor practice facility will get year-round use and I see it as a necessity for our football team," Littlepage said.
"The construction of the indoor practice facility is an important part of the effort to make our football program consistently successful," London said himself in a statement. "That's why I want to show my personal support for the fundraising effort by making this pledge ... It will allow us the opportunity to attract the types of student-athletes to Virginia who will play an important role in the building of the program. I can't think of a better way to express my commitment to the University and to the football program than to personally make a gift to this important project."
London has been casually mentioned with other jobs this offseason but his name has gained little traction on the coaching carousel--perhaps because, as his donation would suggest, the Virginia native is, in fact, committed long-term to the Cavaliers' success.
Subscribe to this blog
