GREENVILLE, S.C. – Furman has received the largest athletics gift in the University's history. The $5 million gift from Chris '78 and Andrea Borch will add to an endowment fund the Borchs established in 2005 for cross country/track and field scholarships.
"Furman University is deeply thankful for the friendship, leadership and generosity of the Borch family," said Director of Athletics
Jason Donnelly. "Their $5 million commitment in support of cross country and track and field, together with their previous philanthropic investments, generous contributions from other donors and steady investment growth, will bring the
Blue Shoes Endowed Scholarship Fund, named after a pair of training shoes Chris received as a freshman, to $20 million. We are grateful for the Borchs' vision and belief in the impact of the student-athlete experience and appreciate head coach
Robert Gary's success and stewardship, which enabled the largest gift in Furman Athletics history to become a reality."
"As a NCAA Division 1 athlete, I had the opportunity to run and compete against the best," said Borch. "I learned to set big goals, pursue excellence, work hard and never give up. Together with mentoring from dedicated professors, I went on to establish a career, found a company and, with my incredible wife, raise four children. Without the scholarship that I received, none of this would have been possible. Andrea and I are so grateful to work with President Davis,
Jason Donnelly, Coach
Robert Gary, the coaching staff of
Chris Neal,
Rita Gary and
Logan Roberts, and many others to make the same scholarship and learning opportunities available to other young men and women."
Inspired by the Borch gift, Furman has embarked on a campaign to grow the University's endowment for athletic scholarships to $100 million.
"The Borchs have been tireless advocates, not only for athletic excellence but also of the imperative to transition the way Furman pays for athletic scholarships to an endowment-based model," said President Elizabeth Davis. "Athletics has been integral to
The Furman Advantage and the success of our student athletes, and we are so grateful to partner with the Borchs and so many others who similarly believe in the power of athletics to transform lives."
Since coming to Furman in 2012, head coach
Robert Gary, a two-time Olympian in the 3,000m Steeplechase, has led the men's and women's programs to an unprecedented nine consecutive Southern Conference Championships in cross country. In 2017, the Paladin women finished seventh at the NCAA Cross Country Championships and in 2020 the Furman men finished tenth in the national meet. Under Gary's leadership, the Paladins have earned 35 NCAA All-American citations in cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track.
"This gift," said Gary, "means we are one of a few nationally competitive programs with an endowment-based model for funding scholarships. That stability is so important. It sets us apart from other Universities and allows us to vie for some of the best athletes in the country. Above all, it helps students get a great education in the classroom and on the track they otherwise might not receive. At the heart of it, the Borchs want to provide as much opportunity as they can."
The Furman men's cross country team placed second at the NCAA Southeast Region meet last week, qualifying automatically for the NCAA Championships, which will be held Saturday in Tallahassee, Fla.
Bethany Graham placed fifth in the women's race to qualify as an individual.
