Women's Basketball Head Coach Gayle Fulks on Why Give, Why Now

Can you share an example of one or two ways philanthropic support has made your program stronger recently?
The way the community and our donors rallied behind our international trip to Spain last summer was really inspiring. The trip proved beneficial to our players' development, our program's culture and our success on the court this season, including beating Top 25-ranked Duke University in Cameron Indoor Stadium. Our trip to Spain allowed our team to be more united and connected than ever before, and I think that has been critical to our success.

In addition, our new basketball weight room — The Holland Family Basketball Performance Center — has been a game changer for us, maximizing our players' time to train and provide the resources to do so.

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

When I came back to Davidson in 2000 to work in residence life, my wife and I started regularly attending women's basketball games. Over time, I got to know the team, and the coaches asked me if I'd be the public address announcer — I've been doing that ever since. I love seeing how this program has grown since I was a student here. Davidson consistently brings in high-caliber players and uses their resources to help the program expand. It's the only fully funded women's sport. The team has been hammered by injuries this season, but they come out smiling and enjoy their time together in spite of that. I continue to give because I believe in this program and want to help athletes compete at a high level while getting an amazing education.
~ Leslie Anne Urban '89

The landscape of college athletics has been evolving rapidly in recent years. To continue advancing the program, we must be committed to finding a sustainable way to recruit the best scholar-athletes. Our goal is to consistently compete for A-10 championships and make the program's first NCAA tournament. To make this goal a reality, investment in NIL funding and operational recruiting resources are greatly needed at a more expansive rate than ever before.

What do you see in our scholar-athletes every day that makes an investment in them worthwhile?
It's impossible to articulate completely in a few sentences, but our scholar-athletes are such incredible ambassadors for our program and for Davidson College. They work tirelessly in the classroom and on the court, they're great women and role models for those around them and they truly care about the community and giving back. Our scholar-athletes' commitment to excellence in everything they do makes Davidson such a special, unique place. Investing in a Davidson scholar-athlete isn't just a four-year investment; it is a lifetime investment in developing future women leaders who will have a tremendous impact beyond their basketball career.

What are you most excited about when you think about the future of your program?
The opportunity to compete for championships consistently is right in front of us. We are one of the few programs in the country that can say we are the best of "all worlds." We have an amazing location with a loyal fanbase and community, top-notch facilities, an excellent team of coaches and support staff, an elite education and incredible brand recognition in the basketball community, along with an increased investment from the college in providing a world-class experience for our women's basketball scholar-athletes. We have dynamic leaders on campus in Director of Athletics Chris Clunie '06 and President Doug Hicks '90, who are committed to being leaders in the changing college basketball and athletics landscape. I think Davidson College has a distinctive ability to be an innovator in our approach to college basketball, and I am excited to lead a program that is committed to growth and excellence.

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

It is about building a culture and sustaining success in a variety of areas of which the Davidson community is proud. In the current structure of college athletics, it is easy to lose the focus of providing a high-level academic experience in conjunction with a successful athletics program. Davidson is unique in that it will never sacrifice the importance of providing our scholar-athletes with the best academic experience possible. Davidson is committed to finding the highest-level scholar-athletes who are committed to excelling in the classroom and on the court. "Athletics Done Right" is what makes this place so special and unique, and it is a big reason why I am so proud to be a coach at this wonderful institution.

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

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