YOUR INVESTMENT IN GT SWIMMING & DIVING

Greetings from campus and the McAuley Aquatics Center, which served as the site for ACC championships in February and the men’s and women’s NCAA championships in March. The 2022-23 competitive season is well underway, but I first wanted to share some program highlights from last year. Georgia Tech swimming and diving was quite successful in and out of the pool. The men’s team finished 5th at the ACC’s, our highest conference finish since 2016. Berke Saka, Caio Pumputis, Christian Ferraro and Mert Kilavuz qualified for NCAA’s as individuals and Austin Daniel, Batur Unlu, Clark Wakeland and Daniel Kertesz competed in the relays. For the fourth semester in a row, the women’s program scored the top GPA (3.46) of all teams at GT and had three NCAA qualifiers: McKenzie Campbell, Anna Bradescu and Camryn Hidalgo. Perhaps one of the most unique accomplishments was that three of our squad members, Nicole Williams, Kyle Barone and Cale Russell, won the campus-wide CREATE-X’s Fall I2P Showcase with their company start-up, Radiochain. We have carried the momentum into this season and, I am extremely proud of how all of these young men and women represent GT day in and day out!

Donor support of GTSD makes all of this possible. Philanthropy is what placed McAuley among the nation’s top swim/dive facilities, what enables GTSD to attract the most athletically-gifted and academically-bright student-athletes in the world, and what helps us keep building momentum toward future competitive success. Our goal this year is to increase the overall donor base to GT Swimming & Diving; participation matters, regardless of amount!. Below you will see three funding priorities within GTSD--annual operations, the locker room refresh and scholarships--and how each of these areas can impact our program and the 60 student-athlete swimmers and divers. Whether it’s $50 or $1 million, we need you.

Below you will see some opportunities within GTSD, with our most pressing need being to increase our current operating fund. Every dollar matters and no amount is too small.

ANNUAL OPERATIONS - $100,000 GOAL

• Preparations for International training trip, planned for Summer 2023 to Brazil (allowed every 4 years by NCAA)
• Student-Athlete Experience
  • Increased travel budget to allow for west coast competition and recruiting
  • Upgraded nutrition and training options
  • Funding for new educational benefits allowed by NCAA
• Facility Needs
  • Dry-land training equipment
  • Power tower equipment
  • Touchpad, timing and video replay equipment

LOCKER ROOM REFRESH - $1.5 million goal

• State-of-the-art lockers
• New tile flooring, updated fixtures, improved lighting, fresh paint and additional graphics
• $1.25 million raised; $250,000 in commitments needed by 12/31/22
• Individual lockers may be named for $25,000 (payable over five years)

SCHOLARSHIPS - Goal is for our endowment to fully cover cost of all GTSD scholarships

• Endowed Scholarships
  • May be individually named and established currently w/ one-time commitment of $25,000 (payable over five years)
  • $685,467—endowment needed for one in-state scholarship ($30,846)
  • $1,115,622—endowment needed for one out-of-state scholarship ($51,958)
• Everyday Champions Scholarships
  • $125K total commitment payable in four years ($31,250 per year)
  • Funding one scholarship at the in-state rate for four years

Thanks for being a part of the GTSD community.  I would like to personally thank those of you who have supported our program in the past, and encourage those who have not, to consider a gift of any size. Every dollar is impactful and appreciated. Go Jackets!

Courtney S. Hart
Toni M. & Richard L. Bergmark Head Swimming & Diving Coach