IRVINE, Calif. --- For a second straight year, UC Irvine Athletics as a department came together to produce some of the most impressive numbers toward Giving Day for the campus of UC Irvine and the Anteater community on Wednesday, June 24.
UC Irvine Athletics led all of campus in gifts for a second consecutive year including seven match or challenge gifts secured in advance of Giving Day running the total to 621 gifts received. That set a new Giving Day high of donations surpassing the previous record of 590 set in 2019.
Overall, the University raised $1,736,771 and received 2,486 donations breaking down to 25% of all gifts to campus were earmarked for Anteater Athletics. Additionally, 'Eater donations cracked the $100,000-barrier in dollars raised for a second consecutive year finishing with a grand total of $107,060. Given the unfortunate circumstances surrounding Giving Day which had its date shifted on two occasions, the emergence of COVID-19, an unstable economy, the department's results were nothing short of phenomenal and a great success.
Â
Focusing on the scoreboard in athletics, kudos were in order for women's water polo and men's basketball programs who topped all programs in specific categories. Women's water polo received a department-record 105 gifts while generating the most revenue during the day with $15,045. Head Coach
Dan Klatt and his crew were followed closely by head coach
Yossi Raz and his men's soccer program who reached their 100-gift goal with 103 donations finishing just off from defending their 2019 in a contest that went down to the final minutes of Giving Day. Men's basketball and head coach
Russell Turner topped the department with $31,610 raised when accounting for donations and match or challenge gifts secured in advance of Giving Day. Â
Â
