Our Vision

Vision:
The Ram Athletic Fund (RAF) is the lifeblood of VCU Athletics. Your gift directly impacts our 260 student-athletes, our coaches and their programs, both on the field and in the classroom.

• Your $250 gift pays for a new uniform for a student-athlete.
• Your $1,000 gift allows a VCU coach to go on an extra trip to recruit the student-athlete that every other school is after.
• Your $5,000 gift pays for room & board for one semester for a student-athlete.
• Your $10,000 gift pays for an out-of-state tuition for one semester for a student-athlete.
• Your $25,000 gift nearly pays for an out-of-state tuition, fees & board for a year for a student-athlete.

As VCU Athletics continues to grow in size and national prominence, the need to enhance budgets and fund scholarships is greater then ever. The Ram Athletic Fund exists to allow this growth and provides the resources to compete for championships. By becoming a member of the RAF, you play a vital role in the success of VCU Athletics and its student-athletes. Each year, our goal is to provide our student-athletes the best collegiate experience on and off the field of play, and prepare them for their future. We need your help in doing so. A membership is yours with an annual donation to the VCU RAF. The RAF membership year runs from July 1st through the following June 30th.

Success:

• The Rams were represented in NCAA Tournaments or Championships in five sports: Men’s Tennis, Baseball, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Track & Field, and Golf, with Baseball, and Men’s and Women’s Tennis capturing CAA Championships.
• Head Coach Shaka Smart of the VCU Men’s Basketball team had the best record for any first-year coach in 2009-10 with a 27-9 record, just one win shy of the program’s all-time record of 28 victories. The team also won the CBI Championship.
• Head Coach Beth Cunningham and the Women’s Basketball program, advanced to the third round of the Women’s NIT postseason tournament, the furthest ever in the program’s history.
• Joe Van Meter broke a school and conference record with 108 hits in 2010. He concluded his outstanding season by being drafted in the 21st round by the Texas Rangers.
• Senior Myriam Bouchard of the VCU women’s soccer team was named to the Canadian National Team.
  Of the 275 non-BCS schools that play NCAA Division I Basketball, VCU is one of four schools to have had back-to-back first round NBA draft picks after Larry Sanders was taken with the 15th pick overall of the 2010 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.
• The Rams were represented in four different major professional sports in 2009-10 with Eric Maynor on the NBA’s Oklahoma City Thunder, Scott Sizemore, Brandon Inge, Cla Meredith and Sean Marshall in the MLB, Quanitra Hollingsworth on the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and Andrew Dykstra on the Chicago Fire of the MLS.

Classroom Success (2009-10)

• Five different programs exceeded the national average in the NCAA’s annual Division I Academic Performance Report, which combines eligibility, retention and graduation rates. Those programs were Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball, Baseball, Men’s Tennis and Women’s Cross Country.
• Amanda Adams of the VCU women’s soccer program was named CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year after posting a perfect 4.0 GPA throughout her four years with the Rams.
• 52% of all student-athletes were named to the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll, which recognizes a 3.0 GPA or better. 20% of them were also on the Dean’s List for 3.5 GPAs or better.
• VCU was one of 62 Division I institutions honored by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association for carrying a team GPA of 3.0 or better.

Growth:

• Young Alumni Program:
  This initiative will continue to build upon our membership goals while reaching out to young alumni. An alumnus (of any college or university) is eligible for the Young Alumni Program within 5 years of receiving their undergraduate degree. Once you have signed up, you will be enrolled in the program for the remaining 5 years. All members will receive ½ off their Men’s Basketball season tickets, receive double on their Ram Athletic Fund donation, gain access into the Commonwealth Room for all Men’s Basketball home games, and earn exclusive invites to socials and other networking opportunities.
• Student Ram Athletic Fund “Rowdy Rams Club”:
  Is a branch of the Ram Athletic Fund that is aimed towards current VCU students. The initiative is to continue to build better relationships between our athletic department and the VCU student body. Students who join display both loyalty and support towards our program. In return, they receive many incentives such as a tee-shirt, early entrance to all Men’s Basketball home games, discounts to local restaurants, CAA tournament tickets, socials and much more. This is a great way for students to get involved with the largest and loudest growing organization on campus.