Wrestling Head Coach Nate Carr, Jr. on Why Give, Why Now

Can you share an example of one or two ways philanthropic support has made your program stronger recently?
Most recently, I would say the biggest thing would be the renovation of the wrestling room and locker room. That investment helped make our program — when you walk into the room — legitimate. The wrestling room and locker room are homebase for our scholar-athletes – it is where they train and spend time every day. It is an elite-level experience for scholar-athletes and recruits when they see the facilities. How it makes our program look and how it is presented is a big deal.

Additional support has also allowed us to hire and retain quality coaches and staff for our program.

What are some key ways you see your program advancing in the next 1, 2, 5 years?

Davidson College was a phenomenal environment for me to experience success both on and off the wrestling mat. I give back because I want to create the same opportunities for today's student athletes. I truly believe in Coach Carr and his staff's ability to develop champion athletes and strong men of character, so investing in their mission and vision is an easy decision to make year in and year out.
~ Scott Patrick '14

I think recruiting will be key. The type of talented young men we are able to bring to Davidson will help this program tremendously. We want to get people on campus to see the changes we are making from a facility and staffing standpoint. The type of recruits we get will elevate our program and strengthen our competition in the conference and, eventually, in the country. That type of competitiveness will promote more excitement, providing an elevated experience for our alums and fans. More people will attend wrestling matches, more people will attend the conference tournament and more people will be cheering on the Wildcats at the NCAA tournament. Additional support from our fans is inspirational. In the next five years, I definitely see a level of competitiveness that we haven't seen before, based on our recruiting.

What do you see in our scholar-athletes every day that makes an investment in them worthwhile?
I see the dedication they have. They're willing to challenge themselves, make adjustments and make some sacrifices as they balance academics and athletics – I've been inspired by their effort to get better at both. We challenge them to have a standard for themselves so they are equipped for the next chapter of their lives. Wrestling is a tough sport, so finding a balance of sacrifice on both ends helps them to have a good experience.

What are you most excited about when you think about the future of your program?
Raising the bar – that's the biggest thing. Being able to achieve things at this school that the program has not yet been able to achieve. Raising the standard for where we want to go as a program. That takes a lot of work from our staff. It takes a lot of belief in our athletes. I think raising the Davidson College Wrestling Program to new levels is so exciting and a really good challenge for us all. We want to raise the bar so our program can be "in the conversation" with other elite level programs.

"Athletics Done Right:" What does that mean to you?

For us, for me, it means having a Division I opportunity to be an All-American or national champion while also having access to elite academics. What I am trying to build is an elite-level wrestling experience to build champions on and off the mat. But also, we aim to help scholar-athletes think about that next step in life, academically, and, moving forward, to be successful outside the mat. An elite-level academic experience and an elite-level Division I wrestling experience is how I see Davidson Athletics done right.

You can make a gift, supporting any of our 21 Division I programs, at this link.

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