These achievements are not possible without your unwavering support. In addition to the attendance and revenue numbers noted above, in FY24 the I FUND generated $8.27 million, the highest annual giving in a decade. In addition, your support of ICON, the official collective of Illinois Athletics, has provided millions of dollars in opportunities for Fighting Illini student-athletes and allowed us to recruit and retain the nation’s best and brightest to wear the Orange and Blue. We could not – and cannot – do this without you.
A championship mindset is spreading to every corner of our program. From coaches to student-athletes, from staff to administration, from fans to ticketholders, from donors to sponsors, we are beginning to look and act like champions. But make no mistake: we have not arrived. There is no crown in our future. There is only more work. More grit. More sacrifice. More investment. More moments. More memories. More fun. This process will never be about a destination. It must always remain about the journey.
Like true champions, we must guard against one dreaded emotion: complacency. Now, more than ever, we must press forward. Dramatic change to the college athletics ecosystem is looming, and with it, an incredible opportunity for the Fighting Illini to take advantage of the disruption, to lean into the uncertainty, and to leapfrog our competition. But we must double our efforts, quicken our pace, and narrow our focus.
