The success of the University of Connecticut’s men’s and women’s athletic teams continues to pay dividends for the state school.
UConn and the UConn Foundation said Thursday that the school has received a $15 million philanthropic commitment from alumni Robert and Stefanie Skinner to support UConn Athletics.
The donation marks one of the largest private gifts in the program’s history.
University officials said the multiyear commitment will fund several initiatives intended to strengthen athletic performance, leadership and facilities across multiple sports programs.
The centerpiece of the gift is a $10 million endowment to support head coaching positions for UConn’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. The money is expected to be divided equally between two named endowments honoring longtime coaches, including Geno Auriemma for the women’s program and Jim Calhoun and Dan Hurley for the men’s program.
The university said the Skinners’ contribution will serve as a founding investment, with hopes of attracting additional donors to double each fund.
UConn Director of Athletics David Benedict said the commitment will help sustain the school’s tradition of excellence, particularly in basketball, where both programs have achieved national prominence.
In addition to the endowment, the gift includes $1.5 million to support the athletic director’s office and broader departmental priorities. Officials said the funding will provide flexible resources to address immediate and long-term needs.
The Skinners also pledged $1 million toward a proposed golf training facility near campus. The planned development would transform a 22-acre university-owned property into a dedicated training facility for student-athletes.
Another $2.5 million will be distributed among several athletics programs, including football, baseball, men’s soccer and men’s ice hockey, to support continued growth and competitiveness.
Robert Skinner, a 1993 UConn graduate and managing partner of IEQ Capital who was inducted into the UConn School of Business Hall of Fame last year, said the gift reflects gratitude for the university’s legacy and a desire to sustain it for future generations.
UConn’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will compete in the NCAA’s Final Four this weekend, as the men seek their third championship in four years and seventh overall and the women seek to defend their title and earn their 13th title.
