WINONA, Minn. — Saint Mary's University Athletics celebrated the success of its second-ever week of giving, the Cardinal Challenge, held Sept. 29 through Oct. 5, bringing together alumni, parents, families, friends, faculty and staff, and those a part of the Saint Mary's and local community to make a lasting impact on Cardinal athletics and the campus programs they care about.
The weeklong fundraising initiative united the Saint Mary's community around a shared goal of supporting the teams and programs that make the Cardinal experience special. By the end of the challenge, Saint Mary's surpassed $210,000 raised and beat its goal of 1,600 total donors with over 1800+!
We could not have done it without the strength and generosity of the Cardinal community.
"Thank you to each and every donor of our Cardinal Challenge," said Brian Sisson, Director of Athletics. "It was incredible to have 200 + more individuals this challenge choosing to make an impact on the lives of our student-athletes. A huge thanks to Roger and Elaine Haydock and their support. We are grateful to all."
"Lastly, I want to thank Tracy, Liz, and Megan, and the support of our entire development staff with this team effort."
Throughout the week, the Athletics Department saw widespread participation from supporters, with gifts helping provide resources and opportunities for student-athletes and the programs they represent. The Cardinal Challenge served as an opportunity for the entire campus community to come together, celebrate its Cardinal pride, and invest in the continued success of Saint Mary's athletics.
One of the week's most exciting highlights was the Alumni Challenge, a unique competition sponsored by an anonymous benefactor who pledged an additional $5,000 spread amongst the top five teams with the highest percentage of alumni donors. After an engaging week of competition and support, the Saint Mary's tennis programs emerged victorious, earning the additional $1,500 contribution. Behind tennis, women's hockey, softball, baseball, and the women's basketball program were each of the top five alumni donors.
"I am humbled by the continued generosity and support that the Cardinal tennis alums have shown me and the tennis program these past two years and indeed my entire career. I am just honored and grateful that I could be the coach of so many outstanding individuals over the years," said Jeff Halberg, head men's and women's tennis coach.
"On behalf of the current players, thank you for all your support."
Another special highlight came through the generosity of Elaine and Roger Haydock B'67, who pledged an additional $2,000 to every team that met its program's individual donor goal.
The success of the second-ever Cardinal Challenge reflects the dedication of the Saint Mary's community and the shared commitment to providing student-athletes with meaningful opportunities to compete, grow, and succeed.
Surpassing $210,000 and reaching over 1,800 donors marks a significant milestone for the Cardinal Challenge and reinforces the impact that collective generosity can have across Saint Mary's University of Minnesota.
Saint Mary's Athletics extends its sincere gratitude to all who participated in this year's challenge. Their generosity continues to strengthen the Cardinal community.
