Two weeks after receiving a $15 million gift, the University of Connecticut Department of Athletics has received another donation from an alum.
Tony Rizza, a business school graduate and former men’s soccer standout, donated $1.5 million that will be used to support the department’s “pursuit of sustained excellence across all of UConn’s athletic programs,” the school said Thursday.
Rizza, who formerly led Stamford-based investment management firm Columbus Circle Investors, also contributed a total of $10 million to help revitalize Morrone Stadium, as well as the state-of-the-art sports performance center that opened in January 2021.
Joseph J. Morrone Stadium at Rizza Performance Center serves as home to UConn’s men’s and women’s soccer, as well as the baseball, softball and women’s lacrosse programs.
Rizza’s latest gift follows the landmark $15 million gift from Robert and Stefanie Skinner — one of the most significant private investments in the history of UConn Athletics.
Inspired in part by the Skinner donation, Rizza’s investment is structured to give department leadership the strategic flexibility to address top priorities as they emerge, the school said.
