Greenville, S.C. – Furman Athletics is excited to announce the creation of the Walker '15 and Sarah Tucker Zimmerman '15 Endowed Scholarship for Men's Soccer, named for former Paladin standout Walker Zimmerman and his wife, Sally.

With this donation, the Zimmermans are making it possible for more students to receive a Furman education and have a first-class Division I soccer experience. The endowment will provide scholarships to men's soccer student-athletes at Furman, expanding the scholarships available to the team and enhancing the financial sustainability of the program.

"My wife, Sally, and I are thrilled with the opportunity to give back to the school and soccer program that brought us together," said Walker Zimmerman. "We believe Furman soccer is special, and are excited about being committed to help build a positive future for the program."

The Zimmermans shared, "Our hope is that this scholarship gives someone else the same opportunity and that they will devote themselves to becoming the best version of themselves on and off the field."

The Zimmermans' commitment is part of a larger effort surrounding men's soccer to expand scholarships through endowment while creating greater long-term financial sustainability for the program. The effort, led by former players Rob Victor, Graham Seagraves and David May, and Spinx chairman Steve Spinks in partnership with Furman Athletics, has raised $1 million for the men's soccer scholarship endowment and maintains a goal of raising $2 million total. Before this fundraising initiative began, the men's soccer scholarship endowment stood at only $27,000.

Furman Athletics is prioritizing fundraising for scholarship endowment so that each program may have the opportunity to grow the scholarship allotment currently available to them, up to the NCAA maximum, while creating a sustainable funding source for scholarships. For example, the eight scholarships currently available to Furman men's soccer will be able to grow through fundraising up to the NCAA maximum of 9.9. By investing in endowment, the new scholarships established will exist in perpetuity and the annual subsidy drawn from the institution will be reduced – a win-win for Furman Athletics.

"Furman Athletics is deeply grateful for the generosity, leadership and friendship of Walker and Sally Zimmerman," said Furman Athletics Director Jason Donnelly. "Walker and Sally's passion for Furman University is inspiring and the creation of their endowment will allow Furman Soccer to continue to provide transformational opportunities for talented student-athletes seeking academics and athletics excellence. We are proud of Walker's impressive accomplishments on the field for Nashville SC and the United States National Team and admire the Zimmermans for their impact upon Furman and the Nashville community."

"This endowment means so much for the men's soccer program," said Paladin head coach Doug Allison. "Walker, who recently captained the U.S. team that qualified for the World Cup, is one of the best to ever play at Furman. So to give back to your former program shows what type of person he is. We are thankful to him, Sally and their son, Tucker, for the creation of their endowed scholarship and the impact it will have on our program for years to come."

Zimmerman, who played at Furman during the 2011 and 2012 seasons, is set to become only the third player in program history to compete in a FIFA World Cup later this winter in Qatar. He will join Furman Athletics Hall of Famers Ricardo Clark (2010) and Clint Dempsey (2006, 2010, 2014) as the only players in program history to appear in a FIFA World Cup. Playing for the United States, Zimmerman captained the U.S. in the final qualifying match and helped the team compile a 6-2-2 record during World Cup qualifying including a 0-0 draw at Mexico and a 5-1 victory over Panama. He also won the 2021 Gold Cup as part of the U.S. Men's National Team.

A native of Lawrenceville, Ga., Zimmerman played two seasons for the Paladins, recording 11 goals and five assists, under Allison and helped the program to a 26-8-7 record during his time in Greenville.

He netted five goals and added two assists while starting all 22 games for Furman in 2011. Zimmerman was named to College Soccer News and Soccer America's Freshman All-America First Team squads while garnering Southern Conference Freshman of the Year and first team all-league honors as the Paladins posted a 14-4-4 record and earned an NCAA berth. In 2012, Zimmerman played in and started 17 games while scoring six goals and adding three assists. He captured College Soccer News First Team and NSCAA Second Team All-America honors after leading the Paladins to a 12-4-3 record and captured first team All-SoCon accolades.

He was tabbed as the No. 7 pick in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas.

Zimmerman is currently in his 10^th season in Major League Soccer (MLS) and has played for three teams in FC Dallas, Los Angeles FC (LAFC) and Nashville SC. He was acquired by Nashville SC from LAFC in 2020. Zimmerman is a three-time MLS Best XI selection and played in the MLS All-Star Game in 2019 and 2021. He has won two Supporters' Shields with FC Dallas (2016) and LAFC (2019) and a U.S. Open Cup with FC Dallas (2016). The 2020 and 2021 MLS Defender of the Year, Zimmerman has started in 170 games during his professional career while appearing in 191 contests. He has also played in 14 MLS Cup Playoff games and made 11 starts.

Sally earned both her B.A. and M.A. in Education from Furman and was a member of Kappa Delta.

Walker and Sally were married in December of 2016, and welcomed their first child, Tucker James Zimmerman, in June of 2021.