Bates Athletics Endowments

The Department of Athletics promotes the physical, intellectual, and social development of Bates student-athletes by providing competitive opportunities at the highest level of NCAA Division III. Nearly half of all Bates students participate on one or more of the 44 varsity and club teams, creating far-reaching impacts on many aspects of life on campus.

Bringing the Bobcat Experience Forward

In the ever-evolving realm of college athletics, team endowments provide consistent resources crucial to offering a competitive and equitable student-athlete experience. Gifts to a team endowment will continue to positively impact future generations of Bobcat student-athletes, giving teams the opportunity to compete at a championship level for years to come.

New Team Endowment Opportunities

$100,000 and Up

Team-specific endowments provide key discretionary funds in perpetuity. These endowments allow coaches to expand travel rosters, upgrade equipment and technology, and schedule away contests outside of the New England region. Individuals can establish new endowments with gifts of $100,000 or more, or contribute to pre-existing endowments.

Wigton Gastonguay Endowed Fund for Varsity Tennis

With Coach Paul Gastonguay ’89 and fellow tennis alumni, we have launched the fundraising effort for the Wigton Gastonguay Endowed Fund for Varsity Tennis, at the discretion of the Head Tennis Coach. The purpose of the fund is to support Bates Tennis by enhancing their budget for travel, equipment, and other operational expenses.

Our goal is to raise $100,000 by June 30, 2024 to fully-fund this team endowment. Once the funding threshold is reached through donor philanthropy, the Wigton Gastonguay Fund will begin to produce budget-enhancing revenue for Bates men’s and women’s tennis.

How Endowments Make a Difference

Current team endowments include Alpine Skiing, Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Men’s Lacrosse, Nordic Skiing, and Men’s Soccer. These programs have seen positive impacts across the board with this generous donor support.


Bates Nordic ski team competing in women's 5K/men's 10K freestyle races at St. Lawrence Carnival, Mt. Van Hoevenburg, Lake Placid, New York, on Jan, 20, 2017. Photos by Dennis Curran/EISA

“The Nordic Skiing endowment is the type of long-term gift that allows for strategic planning towards our mission of athlete education and accelerated comparative improvement.”

James Upham, Nordic Skiing Head Coach

“The endowment has enabled me to provide our student-athletes with an elevated experience during their time at Bates. This also takes some pressure off of us in our annual fundraising.”

Jon Furbush ‘05, Men’s Basketball Head Coach

“The recently established endowment clearly
reflects the generosity and enduring commitment of our alumni and Bobcat supporters. The vision of our donors to create a consistently excellent experience for our student-athletes is inspiring.”

Alison Montgomery, Women’s Basketball Head Coach

“The Ryder Family Endowment gives the Bates Ski Team strengthened opportunities that otherwise would not be available. Given the dynamic nature of alpine ski racing, having the resources to improve the quality of and attain more productive training experiences is extremely valuable.”

Kurt Simard, Alpine Skiing Head Coach
Bates alpine ski team competing in giant slalom at St. Lawrence Carnival, Whiteface Mountain, Lake Placid, New York, on Jan, 20, 2017. Photos by Dennis Curran/EISA

Get in Touch

If you’re interested in learning more or making a gift, please contact:

Tyler Lussier
Leadership Gift Officer
tlussier@bates.edu
207-786-6486