Vanderbilt announces gift of up to $20 million for basketball facilities

An anonymous donor will match alumni gifts for Vanderbilt's men's and women's basketball programs, up to $20 million, the university announced in a press release Thursday.

Specifically, the match applies to all former athletes as well as alumni who were in the classes of 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014 or 2019, according to the release.

Vanderbilt is opening a new basketball operations facility in the fall that will house new practice gyms, weight rooms, locker rooms and other amenities for the men's and women's basketball programs. That facility is located in the north end zone of FirstBank Stadium.

“I’m grateful for this generous gift supporting a best-in-class facility that has gone from the drawing board to groundbreaking to soon opening its doors to our student-athletes,” athletic director Candice Lee said in the release. “Vandy United and the Dare to Grow campaign are about what we can accomplish, together. Games and seasons end, but our bonds as Vanderbilt alumni are lifelong. Our student-athletes play for each other because they are part of a larger community where people challenge and support each other every day. By also bringing together former student-athletes and alumni through a matching gift to support Vandy United, this far-reaching pledge embodies teamwork in action.”

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Aria Gerson covers Vanderbilt athletics for The Tennessean. Contact her at agerson@gannett.com or on Twitter @aria_gerson.