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 Ģ������ƵStories      October 1, 2025

By Bill Studenc

Supporters of Ģ������Ƶ’s athletics program are finding new ways to back the Catamounts in today’s rapidly shifting intercollegiate sports environment, which now permits financial rewards in recognition of academic performance.

Recent gifts and pledges from Ģ������Ƶdonors are designed to help the Catamount athletics program provide awards for student-athlete accomplishments in the classroom. Those financial commitments come after a ruling in 2021 by the U.S. Supreme Court in a case titled NCAA v. Alston, which removed restrictions prohibiting institutions from rewarding student-athletes monetarily for academic achievement.

Rewards from institutions to student-athletes based on the court’s decision are often called “Alston Awards” and are based on academic-related expenses.

Among those assisting the Catamount sports program in its efforts to provide Alston Awards is longtime Ģ������Ƶsupporter Mike Crawford, who recently added a gift of nearly $27,750 to his long list of financial contributions to WCU’s academics and athletics endeavors. The latest gift from Crawford and his wife, Gina, is going toward a student-athlete academic achievement fund supporting members of the men’s basketball team.

The Ģ������Ƶmen’s basketball program also is the beneficiary of a donation of $35,000 for Alston Awards from a university alumnus who requested to remain anonymous.

Elsewhere in the Ģ������Ƶathletics program, the Catamount women’s basketball team is recipient of another anonymous contribution, this one to the tune of $75,000 annually over the next three years. The gift, made by two former Ģ������Ƶstudent-athletes, will sponsor Alston Awards in the amount of $5,000 per team member for all 15 players as permitted under the NCAA’s roster cap, for a total commitment of $225,000 for the three-year period.

Kyle Pifer, director of athletics at WCU, expressed appreciation on behalf of the Catamount athletics program to the Crawfords and the other donors for their recent support.

“Providing Alston Awards is an important piece to modern Division I athletics programs,” Pifer said. “Our student-athletes must be recognized for their academic work, which is central to the student-athlete experience at WCU. Student-athletes must earn their degrees to be successful, and adding Alston Awards provides a tangible incentive for annual academic achievement. Further, this is an area that the Ģ������Ƶathletics program can expand and provide further assistance to more student-athletes.”

Donors say they understand the need to support Catamount athletics during a time of tremendous change across the NCAA including revenue-sharing; name, image and likeness (NIL) opportunities; and shifting conference landscapes.

“For me, the most important thing is that we keep student-athletes at the center. Their education, development and well-being should remain our top priorities,” Crawford said. “While the model is evolving and looking more and more like professional sports, I believe Ģ������Ƶhas an opportunity to stay true to its mission: providing an excellent education while giving young men and women the chance to compete at a high level.”

Philanthropy will play a critical role in providing the additional resources needed to help Ģ������Ƶand similar institutions succeed in this new environment, he said.

“For schools without the lucrative television contracts of larger conferences, donor support bridges the gap. Gifts allow us to invest in scholarships, academic support, training facilities and programs that enrich the student-athlete experience,” Crawford said. “I see philanthropy as a way for alumni and friends to say, ‘We believe in you.’ Every dollar given is not just about winning games; it’s about equipping young people to succeed in the classroom, on the playing field and in their communities after graduation.”

Recently reelected to a second term as chair of the Ģ������ƵFoundation Board of Directors, Crawford is a 1987 graduate of Ģ������Ƶwith a bachelor's degree in accounting and finance. The Alston Award gift is the latest in a number of significant investments in the university by Crawford and his wife, Gina.

Recent contributions during the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign from the Crawfords include  leadership gifts toward athletics facilities renovations and the establishment of the Crawford Sherrill Endowed Scholarship Fund in 2021 benefiting students in  WCU’s College of Business.

“Our support for Ģ������Ƶ goes back decades. It’s a place that shaped us academically, professionally and personally. Athletics has always been a point of pride for our university, and we believe that student-athletes deserve every chance to succeed not just while competing, but also in the classroom and in life after college,” said Crawford, who retired last June from national accounting firm FORVIS LLP (now Forvis Mazars LLP).

“This gift to the academic achievement fund reflects that conviction. Gina and I wanted to help ensure that our men’s basketball players have access to the resources, tutoring and support they need to thrive academically. When they succeed in the classroom, they are better prepared for their futures and become stronger representatives of Ģ������Ƶlong after their playing days are over,” he said. “Gina and I have developed a great deal of respect for Coach Tim Craft and his talented assistant coaches, so we wanted to help them build their roster in this new competitive environment.”

Contributions made toward Alston Awards for Ģ������Ƶstudent-athletes are counted by the Catamount Club in determining membership giving levels and benefits, said Wes Cogdill, associate athletics director for development and director of the Catamount Club.

“As the intercollegiate athletics world continues to evolve, it’s important for us to adapt to those changes and to let Catamount Club members know that their contributions toward new developments such as Alston Awards can help increase their totals and membership levels,” Cogdill said.

The recent gifts supporting Alston Awards for Catamount student-athletes come as WCU is in the midst of its “Fill the Western Sky” comprehensive fundraising campaign, an ongoing effort to raise a minimum of $100 million in philanthropic support for the university’s academic, student engagement and athletics programs.

Crawford encouraged other alumni, friends and fans to participate in the historic fundraising campaign, WCU’s first with an emphasis on seeking support for the athletics program.

“Together, we can ensure that Ģ������Ƶathletics continues to grow and thrive – not only in competition, but in developing leaders who make a difference,” he said. “I believe we are at a defining moment. While the landscape of intercollegiate athletics is changing rapidly, the core of what makes Ģ������Ƶgreat has not changed – our people, our mountain spirit and our commitment to lifting students toward brighter futures.”

To learn more about the campaign or to make a contribution, visit , call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.

For more information about the Catamount Club, including the benefits of membership, visit the website or call 828-227-7338.