KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan University Athletics and the Bronco Athletic Fund (BAF) announced a record-breaking fundraising year in FY26, which includes a historic total of over $21.8 million in gifts and pledges and over 3800 unique donors, a record number of Mike Gary Society members, a record number of Bronco Athletic Fund annual gifts, a record WMU Giving Day, record Priority Seating contributions, and a record number of new Bronco Athletic Fund members.
"This historic fundraising year should be celebrated by the entire City of Champions in Kalamazoo, and everyone nationwide that supports us", said Vice President and Director of Athletics, Dan Bartholomae.
"Four years ago, we presented a bold vision of defined success and asked our community to support our efforts. They have responded in record-breaking fashion. On behalf of our entire department, I am grateful for their belief and support of our vision. As we continue to strive to become a destination Group of Six program and national Hockey power, sustained support is crucial. I want to thank our donors for making this year a reality, as well as the tremendous efforts of Jim Culhane, Gina Gonzales and our entire Bronco Athletic Fund team, with visionary support from our new President, Russ Kavalhuna."
Since Bartholomae's arrival at Western Michigan in January 2022, annual fundraising dollar support for WMU Athletics has increased by more than 473 percent, while unique donor count has increased by over 105 percent. This remarkable growth reflects the continued commitment of Bronco alumni, fans, donors, and corporate partners who are investing in the vision of Western Michigan Athletics.
This year's historic campaign was fueled by broad-based support from the Bronco community, demonstrating the collective impact of a record number of donors committed to enhancing the student-athlete experience and positioning WMU Athletics for continued success.
WMU Athletics received gifts from a record number of unique donors, representing a 62 percent increase over the previous year, including 2,693 first-time donors who made their initial investment in the future of Bronco student-athletes. The number of Mike Gary level donors – WMU's highest society of donors – has increased from 1 total in FY22, to a record 103 in FY26.
The department also celebrated a historic Giving Day, raising $1,013,065 from 1,147 donors in a single day—both new program records.
Donor support continues to provide critical resources across every area of the department, including student-athlete scholarships, sport operating budgets, enhanced student-athlete experiences, and transformational capital projects.
Among the major initiatives supported during Fiscal Year 2026 were:
- NIL, Scholarship and Revenue Share support that both recruits and retains championship athletes across all sports, and which is a pivotal new development need as we strive to compete at the top of our conferences.
- The announcement of the Bill Brown Football Alumni Center renovation, highlighted by the new Stafford-Smith Football Weight Room, providing state-of-the-art performance and training resources for Bronco Football.
- Significant fundraising milestones for the future of the WMU Soccer Complex, enhancing the long-term home for Bronco Soccer.
· Continued enhancements to athletics facilities through new branding, fan engagement initiatives and student-athlete resources that elevate the Bronco experience.
The Bronco Athletic Fund has also experienced substantial growth in annual giving directly to season ticket priority seat contributions. Combined football and hockey Bronco Athletic Fund seat contributions increased 69 percent, reflecting both growing fan engagement and continued investment in two of our most nationally visible programs.
The record fundraising year adds to one of the most successful years in school history in the classroom, the community and competitively. During the 2025-26 academic year, Western Michigan Athletics captured nine conference championships and won an unprecedented third straight MAC Learfield Director's Cup, set a departmental cumulative GPA record, and led the MAC in community engagement for the 4th straight year. In addition, significant construction progress was completed on the best-in-class Kalamazoo Events Center – the future training and competitive home of Bronco Basketball and Hockey, opening in Fall 2027.
These efforts – coupled with the extraordinary support of our loyal donors, have established the Western Michigan University Athletics Department as a program with national reach and recognition.
As momentum continues to build, WMU Athletics remains committed to providing a transformational experience for its student-athletes while pursuing comprehensive excellence in competition, the classroom, and the community. In order to sustain this vision of excellence, donor and community support has never been more crucial.
For more information on supporting Western Michigan Athletics through the Bronco Athletic Fund, visit https://athletics.wmualumni.org/
