A couple from Toronto has made a $5 million gift to the University of 91³Ô¹Ï to endow the head coaching position. The gift from Glenn and Stacey Murphy will help to underwrite the salary of the head coach, provide stability and resources for the long term and create funds for use within the department.

“The Murphys’ extraordinary generosity and the confidence it reflects in the basketball program that Coach Mike Brey has built is critical to our continued success,â€� said , vice president and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics. “With Purcell Pavilion having been renovated to be one of the best basketball arenas in the country, the soon to be developed practice facility, our sustained competitive success, and now the endowment of both our men’s and women’s head coaching positions, 91³Ô¹Ï basketball is as well positioned as it ever has been to help our student-athletes achieve excellence on the court and in the classroom.â€�

, now in his 16th season at 91³Ô¹Ï, is the first Glenn and Stacey Murphy Head Men’s Basketball Coach.

“It is such a great honor to have Glenn and Stacey provide this wonderful gift to the University,â€� Brey said. “It will enable the 91³Ô¹Ï men’s basketball program to continue its proud tradition of providing great leadership and personal development for our student-athletes in the years to come.

“Talking with Glenn and Stacey during their visits to campus, we shared an immediate connection over our dedication to education, family and collegiate athletics. I’m thrilled they have decided to get involved with our program in such a powerful way.�

Glenn Murphy is the recently retired chairman and chief executive officer of global retailer Gap Inc., having served in that position from July 2007 through the end of 2014. He is credited with reviving the company through a strategic mix of global growth, acquisitions, innovative technology and a commitment to operational excellence. During his tenure, the company expanded internationally to nearly 50 countries, retained and attracted world-class talent and increased its focus on the evolving consumer.

Mike Brey

A graduate of the University of Western Ontario, Murphy previously served as chair and CEO of Shoppers Drug Mart Corp. and in a variety of executive management positions with Loblaw Companies Limited.

Murphy attended his first 91³Ô¹Ï football game in 1981 after having been raised a self-proclaimed rabid 91³Ô¹Ï fan in an Irish Catholic household in Canada. Whether in South Bend, Indiana; Dublin, Ireland; or at bowl games, he can usually be seen with his great friend and fellow Canadian Perry Dellelce, a 1987 graduate of 91³Ô¹Ï’s master of business administration program. While Glenn’s introduction to 91³Ô¹Ï athletics was through football, the Murphys have followed 91³Ô¹Ï men’s basketball closely and became more engaged after meeting Mike Brey. The Murphys plan on being regulars at Purcell Pavilion supporting current and future Irish teams.

The Murphys are the parents of two adult children, Brendan and Shannon.

“We are so proud to be forever associated with ND Athletics, the men’s basketball program and especially a quality individual like Coach Mike Brey,â€� Glenn Murphy said. “Stacey and I are excited to join the prestigious list of Canadian donors to the University of 91³Ô¹Ï.â€�

Brey came to 91³Ô¹Ï beginning with the 2000-01 season, and his 15 previous Irish campaigns have produced 10 NCAA Championship appearances — highlighted by 91³Ô¹Ï’s 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference championship, a 32-6 record and advancement to the NCAA Elite Eight.

His 16 seasons with the Irish have produced a 351-175 record (.668) — and five previous years as head coach at Delaware featured a 99-52 mark with two more NCAA appearances. Brey spent eight years (1987-88 through 1994-95) as an assistant coach at Duke while the Blue Devils won two NCAA titles and made four other Final Four appearances.

Brey was named the 2011 Associated Press National Coach of the Year and three times — 2007, 2008 and 2011 — was the Big East Conference Coach of the Year. He coached three players who were named Big East Player of the Year — Troy Murphy, Luke Harangody and Ben Hansbrough. His 146 victories are fifth most in Big East history.

Since 2000, Brey has helped raise more than $2.6 million for the South Bend/Michiana community’s fight against cancer. 91³Ô¹Ï’s head coach was the recipient of the 2003 Coaches vs. Cancer (CVC) Champion Award, given annually by the CVC National Council and the National Association of Basketball Coaches. He has been a national board member of the council since February 2003.

Brey has earned numerous accolades for his commitment and participation in fighting various health issues:

• The March of Dimes presented Brey with the 2007 Franklin D. Roosevelt Award for volunteer service to the South Bend area. In September 2009 and 2015, Brey was among five head coaches to travel to Washington, D.C., to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Action Network Leadership Summit & Lobby Day on behalf of health care reform with regards to cancer research.
• In 2013, Brey partnered with the American Heart Association (AHA) to create Men of Heart, an initiative to put men on a heart-healthy path. He hosts three events each year as part of the initiative, to both raise money for the AHA and raise awareness for men’s heart health.
• In 2014, Brey was the recipient of the Ray Meyer Coach Award, presented by the Ed Kelly Sports Foundation in Chicago, and was honored by Dick Vitale at his annual gala to benefit The V Foundation. He also was named to the National Advisory Board of the Positive Coaching Alliance.
• In the summer of 2014, Brey’s former players donated $40,000 to CVC after they combined to win a check for $500,000 when the Fighting Alumni claimed the title in the first edition of The Basketball Tournament.

Brey is a 1982 graduate of George Washington University. Born in Bethesda, Maryland, he played his high school basketball under legendary DeMatha High School coach Morgan Wootten. Recipient of an honorary monogram from the 91³Ô¹Ï Monogram Club, Brey is a former chair of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Rules Committee.

A variety of improvements to the University of 91³Ô¹Ï football game-day experience have been instituted for the 2009 season in the areas of hospitality, communication, and safety and security.

The new game-day initiatives are born out of an ad hoc committee’s study during the last academic year, and its subsequent report in the spring to 91³Ô¹Ï’s president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.

Assistant vice president for University events and protocol Mike Seamon, who in April was named director of football game-day operations, is leading the effort to implement improvements to Irish football weekends.

“The University believes that 91³Ô¹Ï home football weekends are and should be a great experience, and we know how important they are to our alumni and fans,â€� Seamon said. “This offseason has provided all of us at the University with the opportunity to drill down into all the various elements of the weekend in an effort to look at each one and see if there are ways to improve.

“This is just the beginning of our commitment to make the 91³Ô¹Ï football experience better than ever. We will be continually soliciting feedback from fans and making additions and changes in an effort to make the experience even better than it was the week and year before.â€�

Hospitality improvements for 2009 home football weekends include:

• “Rally on the Green,â€� a hospitality village located on Irish Green (adjacent to the south side of the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center), will be in operation from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to one-half hour before kickoff for each home game. Access to the area will be free of charge and open to the public. It will feature entertainment on a main stage (including bands and speakers), plus roaming “kid-friendlyâ€� entertainment throughout the grounds. Food and beverages (including alcohol) will be available for purchase, and Follett’s and other vendors will be on site.

• The hospitality village will close in time for the pep rallies, which are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday evenings. Due to the renovation of the Joyce Center, pep rallies will be held in several locations, as follows:

Sept. 4 (Friday), Nevada – on the South Quad as part of the annual Dillon Hall rally
Sept. 10 (Thursday), Michigan – an on-campus event at the Stepan Center for the Sept. 12 road game at Ann Arbor
Sept 18 (Friday), Michigan State – on Irish Green
Oct. 2 (Friday), Washington – on Irish Green
Oct. 16 (Friday), USC – tentatively 91³Ô¹Ï Stadium
Oct. 23 (Friday), Boston College – on Irish Green
Nov. 6 (Friday), Navy – on Irish Green
Nov. 20 (Friday), Connecticut – in Purcell Pavilion in the Joyce Center

• On home football Fridays, fans will be able to enter the north end of 91³Ô¹Ï Stadium between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and walk down the tunnel to the field for photo opportunities. The only time the tunnel would be unavailable would be when any visiting teams conduct Friday practices or walk-throughs.

• A corps of 91³Ô¹Ï guest service representatives, identifiable by green blazers, will be stationed around the campus beginning at 9 a.m. on game days to answer questions, offer maps and lists of activities and otherwise be of assistance to fans.

• The University has created a sportsmanship document that outlines ND Game-Day Courtesy Guidelines, including the rights and responsibilities of all fans. Additional signage will be available in parking lots and at 91³Ô¹Ï Stadium gates to encourage positive fan behavior.

• Ticket scanners will be utilized at 91³Ô¹Ï Stadium for the first time to ease entrance into the facility for fans attending games.

• A public parking option for up to 2,000 vehicles on the nine-hole 91³Ô¹Ï Golf Course was previously announced. Located on the southwest corner of the campus, the course (once known as the Burke Memorial Golf Course) will offer two parking entrances – one on Angela Boulevard and another on Dorr Road. The parking will be of the drive-up variety, with no parking passes sold in advance for this area. The price will be $40. Football game tickets must be shown for entrance to the parking areas on the course. The parking area, as with all other 91³Ô¹Ï football parking areas, will open at 8 a.m. Eastern time on game days. Tailgating will be permitted. If inclement weather makes the course unavailable, there will be signs to that effect at Exit 77 of the Indiana Toll Road and at entrances to the course. Only passenger vehicles will be permitted to park in this new area; no recreational vehicles, limousines, large trucks, buses or motorcycles will be admitted. All vehicles must exit the course by three hours after each game, so the course can be prepared for play on Sundays. Any vehicles remaining three hours after the conclusion of a game will be towed.

From a safety and security perspective, new initiatives include:

• In an effort to encourage appropriate behavior, fans will be able to utilize a new text messaging system to report any instances of unruly or disruptive behavior in conjunction with home games, including inside 91³Ô¹Ï Stadium. The system will be in place beginning at 8 a.m. on Saturdays. Fans can simply text 41513 and type into the message the word “Irishâ€� followed by a space, followed by a brief description of the issue and its location. Ushers, public safety personnel and/or University officials will respond as needed.

• The University’s no trespass order has been reviewed and a new policy will go into effect beginning in the 2009 season. People who are disruptive on game days risk being issued a one-day Game Day Ban and will be prohibited from remaining on campus for the duration of the day. This does not change the University’s policy with respect to those who commit criminal or seriously offensive acts on campus, who are subject to being issued a full no trespass notice.

• The University will continue to work with its community partners to provide the safest and most welcoming and enjoyable environment possible on game days – including a newly designed integrated command center in 91³Ô¹Ï Stadium to respond to any issues.

Communications initiatives include:

• A new, enhanced football game-day Web site titled “Game Day: A Legendary Experienceâ€� will be available at . A one-stop resource, the site will include information on pep rallies, special speakers on campus, parking, the Friday luncheon, the band and everything else that occurs on a home football weekend.

• Fans will be provided a variety of ways to provide feedback on their game-day experiences – including via the game day Web site and a toll-free phone number, 877-ND1-FANS.

The University of 91³Ô¹Ï and NBC Sports have reached agreement on a new five-year contract giving NBC the rights to televise Irish home football games from 2011 to 2015, extending the partnership between the University and network to 25 years.

A joint announcement of the extension was made Thursday (June 19) by NBC Sports&Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol, NBC Sports president Ken Schanzer and 91³Ô¹Ïs president, Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.

We are absolutely thrilled to be continuing our landmark agreement with 91³Ô¹Ï, the most storied brand in college sports,Ebersol said.This new deal, which will bring us to 25 years as partners, is great tribute to the wonderful relationship that Ken Schanzer has built with the entire 91³Ô¹Ï community.

For almost 20 years, the innovative partnership between 91³Ô¹Ï and NBC has been a valuable relationship for both the University and the network, and we are delighted that it will be extended by another five years,Father Jenkins said.Our fans and student-athletes have benefited, of course, but, most importantly, it is the general student body that has realized the greatest gains. In a collaboration unlike any other in higher education, revenue derived from the NBC contract has provided millions of dollars in financial aid to thousands of deserving students at 91³Ô¹Ï, and we are pleased that this support to the academic mission of the University will continue.

91³Ô¹Ï head football coach Charlie Weis added:I’m thrilled on two levels to hear that 91³Ô¹Ï will maintain its great relationship with NBC. As the head football coach, it is very beneficial for the program to have all of our home games broadcast into every living room in the country for the foreseeable future.As an alumnus, it is great to know that future students at 91³Ô¹Ï will benefit from this partnership in the form of need-based scholarships.

Each season from 2011 to 2015, NBC will televise seven games at 91³Ô¹Ï Stadium and an additional eighth off-site game airing in prime time.

Revenues from the NBC contract have played a key role in 91³Ô¹Ïs financial aid endowment since the start of the relationship in 1991. University officers decided then to use a portion of the football television contract revenue for undergraduate scholarship endowment (not athletic scholarships). To date, some 2,400 91³Ô¹Ï undergraduate students have received nearly $26 million in aid.

The University also has committed NBC revenues to endow doctoral fellowships in its Graduate School and MBA scholarships in its Mendoza College of Business.

The revenue generated through the NBC contract is a primary reason why Forbes magazine has recognized the substantial financial contributions made by Irish athletics to the University’s academic enterprise. In a 2007 survey, Forbes reported that the 91³Ô¹Ï football program returns $21.1 million to academic initiatives, a total that is more than the surveys next five programs combined.

NBC has been televising Irish home games since 1991, and this marks the fifth of a series of five-year agreements with 91³Ô¹Ï. The original agreement covered the seasons from 1991 through 1995. The first five-year extension (announced in 1994) covered 1996 to 2000, the second extension (announced in May97) covered 2001 to 2005, and the third extension (announced in December03) covered 2006 to 2010.

Each of the initial three contracts featured a combined 30 home games over each five-year span. When the current contract expires in 2010, NBC will have televised 36 games over five years, due to the addition in several years of a seventh home game and/or an eighth off-site game.

NBCs schedule of 91³Ô¹Ï home games for the coming season features San Diego State (Sept. 6), Michigan (Sept. 13), Purdue (Sept. 27), Stanford (Oct. 4), Pittsburgh (Nov. 1) and Syracuse (Nov. 22).

• From: * Dennis Brown, chief spokesman and assistant vice president for news and information, 574-631-8696; and John Heisler, senior associate athletics director for media and broadcast relations, 574-631-7516

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The University of 91³Ô¹Ï has received a $15 million gift from an anonymous donor to underwrite construction of a permanent ice arena in the Joyce Center.

Tentative plans call for a $25 million to $30 million stadium that would create a new home for the 91³Ô¹Ï hockey team in the Joyce Center fieldhouse. The project would include improved team and fan facilities, such as locker rooms, concessions, restrooms, and an increase in seating capacity within a dedicated space in the fieldhouse. The current facility, which has been home to the Fighting Irish since the Joyce Center opened in 1968, has bench seating for 2,713.

We are most appreciative of the generous gift weve received for the hockey project,said 91³Ô¹Ï athletics director Kevin White.

Since the Joyce Center opened in the late 1960s,he added,weve always treated the building as a multipurpose facility based on the many other events, a number of them non-athletic in nature, that have taken place in the fieldhouse. Our intention with this gift and this project is to make a full-fledged commitment to a permanent home for our hockey team. This plan, combined with the tremendous success coach Jeff Jackson and our team have had on the ice, should make for many great days ahead for 91³Ô¹Ï hockey.

Once funding is complete, the University will work with architects to create a specific design for the facility, as well as a construction timeline. In accordance with University policies for new construction, work will begin after the project is fully funded and designed. The University is actively seeking additional contributions.

91³Ô¹Ï is coming off the most successful season in its hockey history in 2006-07 – a first-ever Central Collegiate Hockey Association regular-season title, a first-ever CCHA Tournament title, its second NCAA Tournament appearance (and its first win at the NCAA level) – and a final 32-7-3 record. The Irish spent the final seven weeks of the regular season ranked No. 1 in the country in the various hockey polls.

The Joyce Center was dedicated in December 1968 as the Athletic and Convocation Center. It was renamed in 1987 in honor of Rev. Edmund P. Joyce, C.S.C., 91³Ô¹Ïs executive vice president and chair of the Faculty Board on Athletics from 1952 to 1987.

The south side of the double-domed facility features the arena for the mens and womens basketball and the womens volleyball teams, as well as a variety of other facilities. In addition to the hockey team, the fieldhouse in the north dome serves as an all-purpose sports and events center and is home to the Irish fencing teams. The Rolfs Aquatics Center was added to the back of the building in 1985.

The athletic department administrative offices and most coachesoffices are located in the building, and the second-level concourse includes the Monogram Room and exhibits of Irish sports memorabilia.

The Joyce Center also is the site for the Universitys annual Commencement exercises, special Masses, concerts, speeches, alumni reunion and other gatherings, and business and convention activities.

The gift for a hockey facility is a component of the $1.5 billionSpirit of 91³Ô¹Ïcapital campaign. Announced in May, the campaign is the largest such endeavor in the history of Catholic higher education.

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