WORCESTER, Mass. — This year, more than 3,456 donors came together during the 2026 Power of Purple Giving Day to raise $1.12 million for Holy Cross Athletics through the Crusader Athletics Fund.
"Giving Day is proof of the strength of our community," said Cara Abraham, Director of Athletics Development and Associate Director of Athletics. "It takes a huge team effort with many partners across campus to achieve these results. By coming together on this day, we are not only reaching important fundraising goals, we are directly fueling the day-to-day experience of our 700 student-athletes. This collective effort from our alumni, families and friends supports our pursuit of comprehensive excellence year-round. Thank you to all who helped make the Power of Purple Giving Day a success for Crusader Athletics!"
Several challenges from an anonymous donor helped maximize the impact of every gift:
- The team with the highest percentage of alumni giving received $25,000
- The team with the highest number of unique, individual donors received $25,000
- Each team with 100% parent/family household participation received $1,000
Men's ice hockey won the first challenge with the highest percentage of alumni participation at 26 percent. Women's lacrosse came in second, with alumnae participation at 25 percent.
Men's rowing won the second challenge with the highest number of unique, individual donors.
Capturing the final challenge with 100 percent parent participation were the men's and women's tennis teams.
Holy Cross also achieved 100% participation from senior student-athletes by the end of the Power of Purple Giving Day, marking the fourth consecutive year reaching this important milestone — it is a powerful way for them to pay forward the experiences they've had over the last four years, while also building the next generation of philanthropic supporters for the College and Crusader Athletics.
Full results from the day are available on the Power of Purple Giving Day page.
As we approach the end of our fiscal year on June 30, we ask you to join with 4,119 donors who have already chosen to invest in Holy Cross Athletics this fiscal year. With $1.5 million left to raise to reach our $3.8 million goal for the Crusader Athletics Fund, we need your help to set our teams up for success as they train to compete for championships and pursue comprehensive excellence each day.
Make your gift today!
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