LAS CRUCES, N.M. - Multiple NM State athletic programs are benefiting from a sizable monetary donation from an anonymous source.
In an announcement made Tuesday by Aggie athletics, an anonymous donor has made a $500,000 philanthropic gift which has been used to provide funding for the betterment of numerous NM State athletic teams. In all, seven athletic teams including football, men's golf, women's golf, women's indoor track & field, women's outdoor track & field women's soccer and women's volleyball, have benefited from the gift.
"In good times this gift would be cause for a major celebration, during the time of the COVID-19 pandemic it is truly astonishing," commented NM State Director of Athletics Mario Moccia. "What is also unique is the wide scope of the donation. To help so many of our athletic programs at one time is wonderful and I know the student-athletes and coaches of these sports are very grateful."
Football has already made use of its portion of the gift, purchasing a CoachComm sideline communication system which makes in-game communication between coaches on the field and in the press box possible. This system made its debut on the sidelines in the Aggies' 32-26 triumph over Dixie State on March 7, 2021. In addition to the CoachComm system, Aggie football will also be on the receiving end of a new video server which helps NM State coaches and staff members break down film from both practice and games.
Based out of Auburn, Ala., CoachComm offers the best communications equipment and coaching tools available on the market today. With more than 30 years of unrivaled excellence in coaching headset communications, CoachComm is the wireless coaching communications provider for 97% of FBS teams and thousands of high school and small college programs across the country.
The NM State's men's and women's golf teams have been making use of a brand new swing analyzer which was purchased with some of the funds made available. The Foresight GC Quad Pro will be housed in the locker room area of the NM State Golf Course and will be used to record multiple parts of the swing, ball and clubface contact, ball flight and distance achieved. The technology and features offered in this particular analyzer provides different needs than a run-of-the-mill one and is aimed at golfers of collegiate program skill levels.
Funding has also been made available for the Aggie women's soccer team to create a graduate assistant coaching position. With this influx of funding, the position will be more attractive to recent graduates who wish to continue their educational experience while learning the facets of becoming a coach at the NCAA Division I level.
Some of the funds will also be used to provide various improvements to the NM State volleyball team's specific areas. The Aggies won their second-straight Western Athletic Conference (WAC) regular season title on Tuesday, March 16, and currently rank 22nd among all NCAA Division I teams in the RPI rankings. NM State has solidified itself as a power both in the WAC as well as on the regional and national scenes during head coach Mike Jordan's tenure. The seven-time WAC Coach of the Year has led the Aggies to a total of seven WAC regular season titles including five in the last six seasons. With Jordan leading them, the Aggies have also made appearances in 10 NCAA Tournaments.
Renovations and improvements for the throws area for NM State women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams are in the works, too, thanks to the philanthropic efforts of the anonymous donor. In 2019, the Aggies' indoor track & field team captured its first WAC title in the history of the program, laying the groundwork for future success.
All Aggie student-athletes will benefit from the upgrades coming to NM State's athletic training department. New rehabilitation equipment and specialized forms of athletic training will also be included as part of the financial gift.
"This is one of the largest gifts received in the history of the athletic program at NM State University, which makes this a remarkable philanthropic gesture," Moccia continued. "I believe this will serve as a springboard into this summer and fall and propel us into a great 2021-22 athletic season. I would like to extend my personal thanks to the anonymous donor and those who helped bring this gift from the discussion phase to reality."
For complete coverage of NM State athletics throughout the remainder of the 2020-21 academic year and beyond, visit NMStateSports.com - the official home of Aggie athletics - and follow the Aggies on Facebook (NM State Aggies), Twitter (@NMStateAggies) and Instagram (@NMStateAggies).
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