As Cornell’s Campaign for Athletics enters the home stretch, the women’s basketball team is the latest recipient of alumni generosity, as Becky Morgan ’60 recently endowed the team’s head coaching position. With Morgan’s donation, the team becomes the fifth women’s team at Cornell to have its head coaching position endowed.
“The endowment really just goes to show that we have great supporters out there, that believe in Cornell athletics and our women’s basketball program,” said Dayna Smith, Becky Morgan ’60 head coach of women’s basketball. “Becky came and spoke with the players, and really just showed her genuine interest and support for the team.”
Morgan served as a California state senator from 1984 to 1993, and was the first CEO of Joint Venture: Silicon Valley Network. She is currently a member of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s transition team and is also a member of Cornell’s Board of Trustees.
“I think it makes our players feel respected and makes them feel that somewhere out there believes in what they’re doing, and I think it’s a just a huge honor for me and for our program to have something like that given by such a remarkable person,” said Smith.
In addition to her support of women’s basketball, Morgan and her husband Jim Morgan ’63, have contributed to other areas of the University, including endowing the dean of the College of Human Ecology.
During Morgan’s recent visit to campus, the players had an opportunity to talk with her during practice.
“She came and spoke about what she does today and how Cornell helped her get where she is and why she made the donation and how athletics in general helped her as a woman in the business world and I think the players saw first hand what their experience here at Cornell is going to open up for them in the future, so I think they enjoyed meeting her and I know they appreciate the gift, and hope to really establish a good relationship with her in the future,” said Smith.
The Campaign
The Cornell Campaign for Athletics is a $100 million fundraising undertaking. Already more than $58 million has been raised, and 17 head coaching positions have been endowed.
A new rowing center and renovations to Helen Newman and Schoellkopf Halls are also part of the campaign.
he women’s basketball team begins its 2003-04 season this Saturday at the Indiana Classic, where it will face off against its first Big 10 opponent in program history in host Indiana, and will play either Indiana State or North Texas on Sunday.
Archived article by Jonathan Auerbach