On Tuesday, Northwestern football announced a $35 million commitment from the family of Liz and Dick Uihlein.
The contribution will be made over a three-year period and will help advance the program in a number of areas, including recruiting, player development, day-to-day operations and long-term initiatives to boost the program’s standing at the conference and national level. The donation also helps fund Northwestern’s NIL resources, which has become a critical factor in a college football landscape
where a program’s ability to invest in its roster can directly affect its competitiveness.
Northwestern has previously trailed many of it’s fellow Big Ten teams in athletic spending, but this investment sends a clear signal that NU’s alumns are committed to helping the program close that gap. This donation, coupled with the opening of the New Ryan Field — a $850 million-dollar stadium funded entirely by Northwestern alumni Pat and Shirley Ryan — reinforces David Braun’s message at Big Ten Media Day: this team is entering a new era with bold expectations, including becoming a premier football program and Big Ten Championship winning team.
Below are statements from the Uihleins, Combe Family Vice President of Athletics and Recreation Mark Jackson and Northwestern President Mung Chiang on the donation.
“We are so grateful for Pat and Shirley Ryan’s contributions to Northwestern and Chicago and want to follow their lead. Northwestern is one of the nation’s premier institutions, developing future leaders through its world-class academic programs, including the Kellogg School of Management. As multigenerational Chicagoans, we love this city and want to see it thrive. To us, Northwestern University is Chicago. Chicago loves sports and we need Wildcat Football to be competitive. We are pleased to support the university as it enters an exciting new era.” — Liz and Dick Uihlein
“We are deeply grateful to the Uihlein family for their extraordinary generosity and commitment to Northwestern University.” “Their support will help us continue building a program that delivers an exceptional student-athlete experience while competing at the highest level of college football.” — Mark Jackson
“The outstanding generosity from the Uihlein family is another major boost to Wildcat athletics. Northwestern is proud to be the only Top 10 university in the country playing in a Power 2 conference and we strongly support our athletic program and student-athletes.” — Mung Chiang
