RCAF: RCAF Annual Fund Eclipses $2 Million For Second Consecutive Year

LAFAYETTE – After an historic year that saw a record-setting number of donations in 2014, the Ragin’ Cajuns Athletic Foundation (RCAF) announced on Wednesday that Annual Fund donations for the 2015 Fiscal Year eclipsed the $2 million mark for the second consecutive year.
 
The RCAF, which received a record $2.16 million in donations last year, announced a total of $2.11 million in donations from members with just over three months remaining. The 2014 mark eclipsed the previous record of $1.67 million set in 2013.
 
"Hitting the $2 million mark in annual donations for the second year in a row is a tremendous achievement and a testament to the support and passion this community, and all Ragin’ Cajun fans, have for UL Athletics," RCAF Chairman Robert Daigle said. "The RCAF is committed to building off of this success for years to come."
 
The 2015 amount comes on the heels of a successful year for Ragin’ Cajuns athletics that began with a fourth consecutive bowl victory by the football team, trips to the NCAA Super Regionals by both the baseball and softball teams, women’s basketball claiming the Women’s Basketball Invitational and men’s basketball reaching the quarterfinals of the CollegeInsider.com Tournament.
 
The accomplishments on the field, which saw five teams reach the postseason, helped the Ragin’ Cajuns athletic program rate as the 44th-best nationally in a release earlier this year by the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) and released by CBSSports.com.
 
Investments to the RCAF Annual Fun provide unrestricted funds to enhance support for overall operations, personnel, and facility improvements, such as elements of the Athletic Facilities Master Plan, which was unveiled in 2013.
 
Tier 1 of the three-tier plan was recently completed with the official opening of the 100,000-square foot Student-Athlete Performance Center and the new Soccer/Track Facility. Other projects within Tier 1 included several enhancements to Cajun Field prior to the 2014 season, including the addition of nearly 6,000 seats in the south end zone, the installment of a new state-of-the-art video display system, and additional concession stands and restroom facilities.
 
"Thank you to all of our RCAF investors. Each year we have seen the annual fund grow in terms of philanthropic contributions and overall number of investors to UL Athletics," RCAF Executive Director Jim Harris said. "As we surpass the $2 million mark, it is exciting to see that we are on that same trajectory this year, despite the local economy, and with still more than one-quarter remaining in the Fiscal Year. However, we are not there yet. We still need your support and commitment to reach all of our goals."