SDSU Athletics Raises Record $37.5 Million During Fiscal Year 2026

The generosity of Aztec Club members and supporters helped San Diego State University Athletics achieve the most successful fundraising year in department history, with more than $37.5 million in gifts and commitments in support of student-athlete success during fiscal year 2026. The total surpassed the previous record of $33.1 million set in fiscal year 2020.

More than 4,500 donors invested in opportunities that support over 400 Aztec student-athletes, helping them excel in competition, in the classroom, and in life. Fifty-five percent of those donors are SDSU alumni.

The record comes as SDSU begins a new chapter in the Pac-12 Conference, bringing new opportunities and expectations for the department’s 18 varsity programs.

"This record-breaking year reflects the incredible commitment of our alumni, donors, fans, and friends who believe in the transformative power of college athletics,” said John David Wicker, SDSU Director of Athletics. “Their generosity is creating life-changing opportunities for our student-athletes to excel academically, compete for championships, and prepare for success beyond graduation.”

As the landscape of college athletics continued to evolve, SDSU Athletics launched the Student-Athlete Recruitment and Retention Fund, a new initiative providing each varsity program with resources to recruit, retain, and support exceptional student-athletes. In its inaugural year, more than 1,000 donors contributed nearly $8 million to the fund.

“The response to the new Student-Athlete Recruitment and Retention Fund shows that the Aztec community understands what it will take for us to compete at the highest level,” Wicker said. “As we prepare for the Pac-12, that commitment has never been more important. On behalf of our coaches and more than 400 student-athletes, we are deeply grateful for everyone who has invested in the future of SDSU Athletics."

Donors also made significant investments through annual giving, endowments, capital projects, and planned gifts, strengthening the long-term foundation of SDSU Athletics. Several transformational commitments illustrate the many ways supporters are addressing the needs of today’s student-athletes while creating opportunities for future generations.

In October 2025, Blenders Eyewear founder and SDSU alumnus Chase Fisher pledged $5 million to SDSU Athletics. Distributed over five years, the gift represents the largest revenue sharing commitment in school history and will primarily support the Aztec men’s basketball program.

SDSU alumnus and former Aztec baseball player Art Flaming also committed $1.2 million to SDSU Athletics, establishing endowments supporting men’s basketball and women’s athletics. The Art and Gwen Flaming Women’s Athletics Endowment will enhance academic and athletic resources for female student-athletes across SDSU’s women’s programs. His commitment also strengthened the existing Art Flaming Baseball Endowment, which provides scholarship support for an Aztec catcher.

Other donors invested in resources that help student-athletes succeed beyond competition. Continuing a longstanding tradition of support for SDSU, Marilyn Brown designated a gift to honor her late husband, SDSU alumnus Jim Brown, establishing the James S. Brown Family Student-Athlete Success Center. Located in the academic wing of the Fowler Athletics Center, the center will support the academic and personal development of Aztec student-athletes.

SDSU alumnus Terry Atkinson also made a transformational planned gift that will provide permanent support for an assistant coaching position with Aztec men’s basketball. Building on his decades-long relationship with the program, the commitment establishes the first endowed coaching position in SDSU Athletics history.

Together, these gifts and thousands of others made throughout the year demonstrate the continued confidence of the Aztec community and its shared commitment to helping student-athletes succeed at the highest level, now and for generations to come.