http://calbears.com/news/2018/1/25/-3-million-gift-endows-mens-tennis-head-coach-position.aspx
A new endowment announced Thursday to fund the head-coaching position for men's tennis at the University of California will be made possible by a $3 million anonymous gift. The position will be named for current Golden Bears head coach Peter Wright after his retirement.
"On behalf of the campus I want to congratulate Coach Wright and express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the donors for this extraordinarily generous gift," said Chancellor Carol Christ. "The creation of an endowment is a profoundly important and effective way to support the long-term needs and interests of our student-athletes. It is through gifts like these that we can and will build a strong, sustainable financial foundation to support the continued excellence of the entire Cal Athletics program."
Wright, who has served as Cal's head coach since 1993, is an ITA Regional Coach of the Year, recipient of the 2017 ITA Meritorious Service Award and three-time Conference Coach of the Year. He has taken his Golden Bear teams to the NCAA Tournament 23 times and seen his student-athletes earn 20 All-America selections along with numerous academic awards. A Berkeley native, Wright earned a B.A. in Social Science from Cal, where he played tennis as a four-year letter winner before competing as a professional player, Irish Davis Cup player and Davis Cup captain, and serving as the Irish Olympic tennis coach.
"This incredible gift emanates from an anonymous source, but we want it to have the type of exposure that helps others realize a pathway for their philanthropy to support the University," said Wright. "It's a tremendous honor and I am very humbled by it."
The men's tennis head coaching position funded by the endowment will be retitled Director of Men's Tennis, and upon Wright's retirement – nowhere in sight for the 54-year-old coach – it will officially become the Peter Wright Director of Men's Tennis.
"Peter Wright represents not just his team or department, but the entire University in his service to his alma mater," said Director of Athletics Mike Williams '82. "That spirit shines even brighter in the shadow of this incredibly generous gift."
As the team prepares to host ITA Kick-Off Weekend Saturday and Sunday, January 27-28, at Hellman Tennis Complex, the campus community is grateful to all the donors whose generosity make it possible for coaches and educators at the University of California to pursue their missions.
"Peter's experience as a student-athlete at Cal fueled his desire to serve as coach and mentor," said Stacy Savides Sullivan '85, Vice President, People Operations and Chief Culture Officer at Google and a women's tennis alumna. "The impact of a gift like this is tremendous."
A new endowment announced Thursday to fund the head-coaching position for men's tennis at the University of California will be made possible by a $3 million anonymous gift. The position will be named for current Golden Bears head coach Peter Wright after his retirement.
"On behalf of the campus I want to congratulate Coach Wright and express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the donors for this extraordinarily generous gift," said Chancellor Carol Christ. "The creation of an endowment is a profoundly important and effective way to support the long-term needs and interests of our student-athletes. It is through gifts like these that we can and will build a strong, sustainable financial foundation to support the continued excellence of the entire Cal Athletics program."
Wright, who has served as Cal's head coach since 1993, is an ITA Regional Coach of the Year, recipient of the 2017 ITA Meritorious Service Award and three-time Conference Coach of the Year. He has taken his Golden Bear teams to the NCAA Tournament 23 times and seen his student-athletes earn 20 All-America selections along with numerous academic awards. A Berkeley native, Wright earned a B.A. in Social Science from Cal, where he played tennis as a four-year letter winner before competing as a professional player, Irish Davis Cup player and Davis Cup captain, and serving as the Irish Olympic tennis coach.
"This incredible gift emanates from an anonymous source, but we want it to have the type of exposure that helps others realize a pathway for their philanthropy to support the University," said Wright. "It's a tremendous honor and I am very humbled by it."
The men's tennis head coaching position funded by the endowment will be retitled Director of Men's Tennis, and upon Wright's retirement – nowhere in sight for the 54-year-old coach – it will officially become the Peter Wright Director of Men's Tennis.
"Peter Wright represents not just his team or department, but the entire University in his service to his alma mater," said Director of Athletics Mike Williams '82. "That spirit shines even brighter in the shadow of this incredibly generous gift."
As the team prepares to host ITA Kick-Off Weekend Saturday and Sunday, January 27-28, at Hellman Tennis Complex, the campus community is grateful to all the donors whose generosity make it possible for coaches and educators at the University of California to pursue their missions.
"Peter's experience as a student-athlete at Cal fueled his desire to serve as coach and mentor," said Stacy Savides Sullivan '85, Vice President, People Operations and Chief Culture Officer at Google and a women's tennis alumna. "The impact of a gift like this is tremendous."
