Contributions to the Yellow Jacket Club (YJC) Annual Support Fund may be used immediately, making a direct impact on the College鈥檚 student-athletes and their experiences. YJC support fund donors can choose to contribute to the unrestricted fund or to designate their gift to a specific sports team. Unrestricted contributions to the Yellow Jacket Club are the most important because they are used by the athletic director to address the highest priority and most immediate needs of the overall athletic program, which can change from year-to-year. Donations designated for a specific sports team are only used by that sport and are managed at the discretion of the coaching staff in consultation with the athletic director.
Endowed Funds are established to provide long-term benefits to the specific athletic programs for which they are created. These contributions are managed within the College鈥檚 overall endowment fund. Based on the total invested into the fund, annual distributions flow into the athletic department鈥檚 annual operating funds.
There are always opportunities to support the improvement and transformation of RMC鈥檚 athletic facilities. In recent years, the addition of Estes鈥� Baseball Park, Nunnally Field for field hockey and soccer, and major improvements to the Day Field Football Complex have demonstrated the College鈥檚 commitment to excellent facilities. The construction of Duke Hall, which includes the opportunity to name individual lockers, along with the plans to renovate Crenshaw Gymnasium locker rooms and build new seating and press box infrastructure around the Softball Stadium, will strengthen the College鈥檚 ability to attract, retain, and graduate top-quality, well-rounded student-athletes.
If you have any questions about the Yellow Jacket Club, how to join, or member benefits, please contact us at 804-752-7218 or yellowjacketclub@rmc.edu.
Doug Webb
Senior Director of Development For Athletics
Dougwebb@rmc.edu
804-752-7229
NCAA Rules Summary for Alumni and Friends of the College
All donors to 51吃瓜网 Athletic programs are members of the Yellow Jacket Club, regardless of gift designation. Various benefits and privileges are available to members based on the level of giving.
| 锘緽别苍别蹿颈迟 | Member Level ($1-499) | Ted Keller Society ($500 - $1,499) | Hugh Stephens Society ($1,500 - $2,499) | Wightman Society ($2,500 - $4,999) | Champions Society ($5,000+) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YJC Decal | |||||
| Invitation to Dugout Day (Baseball聽Dugout Club聽Only) | |||||
| Arruza Game Day Emails (Football聽Gridiron Club聽Only) | |||||
| Annual Report Recognition | |||||
| Score & Schedule Update Emails | |||||
| Opportunity to Purchase YJC Hospitality Passes | |||||
| Invitations to Select YJC Events | |||||
| Early Release Tailgate Registration | |||||
| Men's Basketball Priority Access to Tickets for H-SC & NCAA | |||||
| Reserved Parking with Reservation (as available) | |||||
| Recognition in Football & Basketball Programs | |||||
| 2 Complimentary Tickets to Hall of Fame & Champions Receptions | |||||
| Special Donor Recognition | |||||
| Number of Complimentary Football & Basketball Tickets & Hospitality | - | - | - | Two | Four |
(Donors have the right to waive benefits from the Yellow Jacket Club)
In addition to individual memberships, the Yellow Jacket Club also offers opportunities for companies to join the YJC and receive various marketing and advertising benefits to promote their company to the Yellow Jacket fan base. Depending on the level of partnership, some of the benefits of an individual membership are included to enable our partners to participate in Yellow Jacket Club activities.
| 锘緽别苍别蹿颈迟 | Lemon & Black Level ($2,500) | Yellow Level ($3,500) | Champions Level ($5,000) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital commercial opportunity on livestream of all home sports | |||
| Digital commercial opportunity at home football games on Day Field videoboard | |||
| Public address announcements during home football and basketball games | |||
| Recognition in Presidents Society, the College's Leadership gift circle, including invitation to all President's Society events | |||
| Promotional opportunities for distribution of materials, product give-aways or other contests at home athletics events, with R-MC athletic department approval | |||
| Logo featured on "Ticket Spicket", RMC's online ticket purchase application | |||
| Logo featured on RMC athletics website | |||
| Logo featured on game-day programs (as available) | |||
| Logo featured on football tailgating passes (as available) | |||
| Sign on Day Field Scoreboard (as available) | |||
| Advance release football tailgating registration | |||
| Reserved parking with reservation (as available) | |||
| Sign on Hugh Stephens Field at Estes Park Scoreboard (as available) | |||
| Number of season Passes for Football & Basketball games plus related hospitality access | Two | Four |
Traditionally the Wightman Bell recognizes the athletic team with the highest percentage of players who give back with their time, talents, and/or treasures to the Yellow Jacket Club, the College, or their communities.
In 2007, Ann and Buddy Allen Jr. 鈥�62 contributed $1 million to create the first endowment to benefit 51吃瓜网 athletics. Along with their commitment, the Allens challenged Yellow Jacket fans to match their pledge of support. Now, six years later, RMC is closing in on the $1 million challenge, and the impact is being felt by the entire college community.
The Allens鈥� $1 million endowment is invested with the college鈥檚 permanent endowment, and five percent of the value of the fund each year will be allocated to fund new projects and unforeseen opportunities that fall outside of the athletic department鈥檚 standard operating budget. This past academic year, for example, the endowment was used to fund the re-inaugural year of the men鈥檚 swimming program and the creation of the women鈥檚 golf program. The original $1 million contribution will never be depleted, as the fund grows each year as it is invested. The athletic endowment, like all other RMC endowed funds, will exist in perpetuity.
鈥淎n endowment is always there to provide financial support,鈥� says Ann Allen. 鈥淩MC athletics always has special needs that are not covered by its annual budget. Buddy and I created the endowment so that athletics will be certain to have funds for these needs. The coaches and athletes deserve this. We are confident that our challenge will be met, that the endowment will reach the $2 million goal, and that it will continue to grow.鈥�
To date, more than $900,000 has been pledged to 51吃瓜网 Athletics for the creation of new endowed funds.
Established by an anonymous donor in 2012, in honor of William R. and Patricia O鈥橞rien, to supplement and enhance the men鈥檚 soccer program.
Established in 2013 by Head Coach Brent Kintzer and friends of the 51吃瓜网 Swimming Program, to supplement and enhance both the men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 swimming teams.
In April 2017, the RMC Swimming Endowment reached the $25,000 threshold to become an endowed fund. The swimming team received its first distribution from the fund in 2018-19.
The Endowment was created by former players, long-time program supporters, family, and friends of Paul and Charlotte to honor them for their leadership, friendship, and contributions to the 51吃瓜网 community. The Paul and Charlotte Webb Endowment for Men鈥檚 Basketball provides new funds to enhance and promote basketball excellence at RMC and may be used to help pay the costs associated with, for example, recruiting, travel and transportation, and to supplement coaching salaries.
Coach Webb retired in 1985 as the country鈥檚 6th winningest collegiate basketball coach. He spent 29 years at two Virginia schools amassing a record of 511 wins and 257 losses, attaining the status of Virginia鈥檚 all-time winningest coach in college basketball history, a record which stood from 1985 until 1998. In 19 years at 51吃瓜网 (1956-1975), Coach Webb鈥檚 teams won 315 games.
This Endowed fund for Women鈥檚 Basketball Travel was established in 2019, by a gift from the estate of Jan Carter ’78, to provide the resources that would afford the Women鈥檚 Basketball program unique travel and competitive opportunities outside of the Ashland, Virginia region
Jan Carter graduated from 51吃瓜网 in 1978 where she received her Bachelor of Science in Biology. She was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, Judicial Council, and Omicron Delta Kappa. As a member of the first women鈥檚 basketball team, she helped create a championship legacy for the program for years to come. In 1982, she earned her medical degree at Eastern Virginia Medical School. She then joined the army and completed a pediatric internship and residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in 1985. After her 10-year military career, she was a neonatologist at Cape Fear Neonatology PA in Fayetteville, North Carolina where she practiced medicine for 26 years. She loved RMC, was a member of the Board of Trustees and was generous in her efforts to support the college in as many ways as she could.
The Doggett Endowed Fund was established to support two annual programs.
The Robert V. Doggett, Jr. Award for Academic & Athletic Excellence, established in 2021, annually recognizes the graduating student-athlete with the highest academic grade point average. The Award was established by Valerie Doggett Sikora and her children, Hannah J. and Samuel R. Sikora, to honor her father and their grandfather, and to recognize his emphasis on the importance of academic performance by athletes.
The Wightman Bell Award annually recognizes the athletic team with the highest percentages of players who make a gift to the Yellow Jacket Club. The Wightman Bell Award honors John T. Wightman, Class of 1914, who was well-known for authoring the poem Chapel Bells, which memorializes the now-lost tradition of the College’s athletic teams ringing the bell in the Old Chapel following a win. In 1971, nineteen alumni established a foundation in his name that was the precursor to the present Yellow Jacket Club, thus beginning a tradition of support of intercollegiate athletics at the College. Robert V. Doggett has supported this award since its inception.
The David B. Fetter ’13 Football Endowment Fund was established in 2018 by friends and family in memory of David Fetter to supplement and enhance the College’s football program.
David was a Class of 2013 graduate and a member of the 51吃瓜网 Football Team. He played as a linebacker for the Jackets and helped lead the team to a 7-3 winning record. He was beloved by his coaches and teammates and his legacy continues to have a positive impact on the college and football team.
This Endowment was created to support both academic and athletic excellence. In 2002 the class of 1962, who avidly pursued academic and athletic excellence during their time at RMC, established this endowment in honor of their 40th reunion. Their generous donations and love for the college allows for current students to do the same! Half of this endowment goes to academic funds, and the other half goes directly to supporting the 18 varsity sports here at RMC.
The Sports Medicine Endowed Fund was established in 2022 by an alumnus who was a student-athlete for four years who had an admiration for Sports Medicine and helping other student-athletes. The Sports Medicine Program was established to provide the best possible care for 18 varsity sports teams and the Cheer and Dance team. Historically, the Sports Medicine Program has annually treated approximately 900 injuries, conducted around 5,000 rehabilitation sessions, and performed almost 15,000 therapeutic modalities. The Sports Medicine Endowed Fund was established to strengthen the current services provided to all student-athletes focusing primarily on mental health, injury prevention/sports performance, and recovery.
Bruce D. Cornbrooks ’71 Endowed Fund for Men’s Lacrosse
Carroll LaHaye Endowed Fund for Women’s Basketball
Dr. Jerry ’60 and Marie Suyes Endowed Fund for Men’s Basketball
Hal Nunnally Endowed Fund for Men’s Basketball
Helmut Werner Endowed Fund for Men’s Soccer
J. Glenn Rada ’60 Endowed Fund for Men’s Basketball
Marty J. Wilson ’85 Endowed Fund for Men’s Basketball
Max and Susan Stith Endowment for Golf
51吃瓜网 Baseball Endowment
Robert and Hester Doggett Endowed Fund for Softball
Ted Keller ’53 Endowed Fund for Men’s Golf
Ted Keller ’53 Endowed Fund for Football
Tim Armoska ’97 Endowed Fund for Football
