2024 Donor Impact Report

Athletics

Athletics
2024 Donor Impact Report

Mark Richard

Mark Richard, VP for Athletics and Special Programs

“Thank you to each of our donors. What everyone has done to support the athletic program and its student-athletes is nothing short of phenomenal. Our campus community, alumni and fans have been generous with their financial gifts that support our student-athletes.”

Highlights

  • 613 student-athletes compete for UM Athletics
  • 3.36 GPA for academic year
  • 40 Academic All-Americans and Five Athletic All-Americans
  • Three teams participated at the NCAA Division II National Championships: wrestling, women’s indoor track and field and men’s swimming.
  • Men’s golf featured two players in the NCAA Division II Super Region Tournament. Harrison Hughston finished tied-seventh for the highest finish in program history.
  • The teams that participated in various conference tournaments last year included volleyball, soccer, cross country, baseball, golf, tennis and track and field throughout the Gulf South Conference.
  • The UM men’s lacrosse team won the 2024 Peach Belt Conference Regular Season Championship and hosted the PBC tournament.
  • The UM men’s and women’s swimming teams competed at the New South Intercollegiate Swim Conference and turned in a pair of historic performances. Will Mahone and Janek Barcyzk each became the first NSISC Conference Champions at Montevallo by winning the 200-yard backstroke and 100-yard breaststroke, respectively. Mahone and Bracyzk, along with Aleksei Kolesnikov and Juan Celis, all qualified to compete at the 2023-24 NCAA Division II National Championships.
  • Montevallo’s newest team, wrestling, produced a trailblazing season with two top five placers at the NCAA Division II Super Region II Championships, one regional champion and one national champion. Gabe Hixenbaugh capped off a 31-0 season with the 133-LB National Championship for the first in school history for any sport.
  • The  track and field team totaled four conference championships in 2023-2024. At the GSC Indoor Track and Field Championships, Caleb Kariuki took home the title in the long jump and triple jump. Nyla Shipman won the weight throw and competed at the NCAA Division II National Championships. Emily Wolf claimed the GSC title in shot put.
  • Finished 177th in the NCAA Division II Learfield Directors’ Cup Standings for the highest mark in school history.