Northwestern football receives $35 million from the Uihlein family, to be used ‘for sustained success’
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
CHICAGO — Northwestern on Tuesday announced a $35 million donation to its football program from the family of Dick and Liz Uihlein, the billionaire founders of the Uline industrial supplies company.
The gift is a three-year commitment and will be used to “support student-athlete development, operational priorities, recruiting and strategic investments designed to position Northwestern football for sustained success in the Big Ten and on the national stage,” the school said in a release.
Dick and Liz Uihlein said in a statement that they were following the lead of Pat and Shirley Ryan, whose financial backing is behind Northwestern’s new $875 million Ryan Field. Their grandson Mac Uihlein, from Lake Forest, was a team captain as a fifth-year linebacker for the Wildcats last season.
“Northwestern is one of the nation’s premier institutions, developing future leaders through its world-class academic programs, including the Kellogg School of Management,” the Uihleins said in a statement. “As multigenerational Chicagoans, we love this city and want to see it thrive. To us, Northwestern University is Chicago. Chicago loves sports and we need Wildcat football to be competitive. We are pleased to support the university as it enters an exciting new era.”
Northwestern President Mung Chiang and athletic director Mark Jackson expressed their appreciation in the release. Chiang called the donation “another major boost to Wildcat athletics.”
“Their support will help us continue building a program that delivers an exceptional student-athlete experience while competing at the highest level of college football,” Jackson said.
Northwestern finished last season, its third under coach David Braun, with a 7-6 record and a bowl win over Central Michigan. The Wildcats have built interest in the offseason by hiring offensive coordinator Chip Kelly and showcasing the new Ryan Field, which will open Oct. 2 against Penn State.
The Uihleins also are major donors to Republican politicians at the federal and state levels. Since 1998, they have spent more than $92 million on various Illinois political campaigns. They spent more than $57 million on Darren Bailey’s candidacy for governor and a Bailey-allied political action committee in the 2022 campaign cycle. They also made significant donations to federal campaigns, including $139.5 million in the 2024 election cycle to support conservative candidates and causes.
Bailey once called them “the most conservative family probably in the country.” While they backed Bailey’s 2022 bid versus Gov. JB Pritzker, they have not backed the Republican nominee in his rematch against Pritzker this year.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos