Penn State men’s basketball is the beneficiary of at least part of a $26 million dollar donation by Peter and Ann Tombros the university announced on Thursday morning.
According to a press release a portion of that $26 million dollar gift will endow the men’s basketball coach position, establishing a fund that will allow the Peter and Ann Tombros Head Coach to “enhance opportunities for student-athletes through scholarships, travel, equipment, and other needs.”
The donation places the couple among the top five donors in Penn State history. The rest of the gift includes donations to various academic and research related areas.
“The love that Peter and Ann Tombros feel for Penn State has manifested in many ways over the decades, from their leadership in every major campaign to their support of our students, faculty and staff through great successes and great challenges,” said Penn State President Eric J. Barron said in the release. “This new commitment is a breathtaking declaration of their enduring faith in the University’s potential to lead the way in higher education and to transform the lives of Penn Staters and the future of the communities we serve.”
Penn State men’s and women’s basketball have both seen fairly significant facilities upgrades in recent years with the renovations to the locker room and training table areas in addition to the film and weight rooms.
The Nittany Lions are in their first year under head coach Micah Shrewsberry. As per department policy, Penn State has not released the specifics of Shrewsberry’s contract although depending on how his contract is constructed, he could appear on Penn State’s reporting of the school’s top 30 paid employees.
The gift is the second major head coaching endowment at Penn State over the last 20 years.
