“To develop midshipmenmorally, mentally and physically…”The United States Naval Academy missionplaces an extraordinary emphasis on the physical development ofmidshipmen that is unrivaled by civilian institutions. This commitment to their physical development requires modern facilities,superior equipment, exceptional coaching and outstanding supportsystems.

For over 120 years, the Naval Academy Athletic Association (NAAA)has been a key driver of the Naval Academy’s physical mission.Presently supporting 32 varsity programs, 14 club sport programsand a comprehensive physical education curriculum, the NAAA has asignificant responsibility for the physical development of the entireBrigade.

The Fund for Athletic Excellence ensures that the NAAA has the resources it needs to fulfill the Naval Academy’s physical mission atthe highest level.

Dear Friends of the Naval Academy Athletic Association,

The United States Naval Academy is an institution steeped in tradition and charged with developing leaders of great moral character who will serve as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps,and who will make meaningful contributions to the communities inwhich they reside. We are privileged to be afforded the responsibilityof assisting with their development and the fulfillment of the NavalAcademy’s physical mission.

The Naval Academy Athletic Association strives to be the standard-bearer amongst the service academies with respect to providing abroad-based, competitive intercollegiate athletic experience for all ofour student-athletes. It is the priority of the NAAA to recruit nationally the finest prospective student-athletes and to secure acommitment from those candidates who exhibit and embrace the values, ideals and overriding mission of USNA. It is also the priorityof the NAAA to recruit and retain coaches who are educators androle models, who understand the mission of the institution and are effective in balancing the values of the Academy with their provencompetitive success.

With these objectives in mind, the NAAA is charged with providingour coaches and student-athletes with the necessary resources andfacilities that will enable them to successfully compete within their respective league or conference at the Division I level. To this end,the NAAA embraces the Academy’s charge of generating external,non-government resources to provide a margin of excellence in thefurtherance of our physical mission.

Working closely with the USNA Foundation and the Foundation’s Athletic & Scholarship Programs Trustees, we are seeking to secureprivate resources to provide the Margin of Athletic Excellencethrough which we will achieve our goals.

We encourage you to help us fulfill the Naval Academy’s physical mission and enable us to better develop the leaders of tomorrow bysupporting The Fund for Athletic Excellence today.

GO NAVY!

The Fund for Athletic Excellence... fuels our physical mission and ensures that we have the resources to achieve our goals.

OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIPI The NAAA is committed to recruiting and retaining

coaches who are educators and role models, who understandthe mission of the institution and are effective in balancing thevalues of the Academy with their proven competitive success.Our coaches must recruit a special type of prospective student-athlete whose educational priorities are much broader in context than the typical Division I student-athlete in a civilianenvironment. It is critical that as educators, these coaches canelevate the level of physical performance of each athlete, thusmaximizing their overall athletic potential. In a competitive marketplace, we must be successful in generating the fiscal resources that allow us to recruit and retain outstandingcoaches that are philosophically aligned with our mission.

I Leadership isn’t limited to the coaching or administrativeranks. The NAAA’s coaches are committed to recruiting a special caliber of student-athlete who will thrive in the NavalAcademy’s rigorous environment. The NAAA’s intercollegiateobjective is to field 32 winning varsity programs utilizing theathletics experience as a microcosm of the challenges midshipmen will face in the Fleet. Athletic competition, at thehighest level, is the practical application of those lessonslearned in the classroom, better known as a part of the Academy’s leadership laboratory. Midshipmen learn how thewill to win combined with an expect-to-win mindset correspondto overcoming challenges on the field, in the classroom and in the Fleet.

OPERATIONAL SUPPORTI The NAAA, in concert with the USNA

Foundation, must secure private, philanthropic resourcesin order to meet the extraordinary and time sensitive needs ofthe programs and our coaches. These needs range from cutting-edge equipment that assist in generating peak athleticperformance, to nutritional supplements that aid in musclegrowth and recovery, to expanded athletic competition opportunities that enhance the overall student-athlete experience. Encompassing the broadest range of items, operational support covers those things that contribute to thecreation and sustainment of a winning environment.

GENERAL PHYSICAL MISSION SUPPORTI The NAAA oversees 14 Club Sports that

provide competitive non-varsity intercollegiate athletic opportunities for midshipmen. Margin of Athletic Excellencefunding provides for broad-based club sport offerings that aregender equitable and positively impact the lives of midshipmeninvolved in intercollegiate athletic activities outside of varsitysports. The participants benefit tremendously from the resources that afford them with well-organized and meaningfulcompetitive athletic experiences.

FACILITIES ENHANCEMENTI The Naval Academy’s athletic facilities

have benefited from private philanthropic support. Navy-MarineCorps Memorial Stadium, the Brigade Sports Complex andHalsey Field House Squash Courts are all examples of first-class facilities that have been made possible by the infusion ofprivate support. Having facilities of this caliber upgrades thephysical plant of the Yard and adjacent properties, while enhancing the student-athlete experience, assisting ourcoaches in the competitive recruiting process and providing fora better overall fan experience, all of which reflect positively onthe Naval Academy. The Fund for Athletic Excellence helps toprovide preliminary private funding for capital projects and facilities enhancement that will benefit the entire Brigade ofMidshipmen.

Benefit Table Footnotes

1 Recognition levels are established and benefits confered based ongifts made during a January 1 – December 31 calendar year.

2 Gifts of $5,000+ will be eligible to receive Admiral’s Row level Blue &Gold membership benefits from NAAA.

3 Gifts of $5,000+ will receive President’s Circle recognition from theUnited States Naval Academy Foundation.

4 May be used for general admission to all ticketed NAAA athleticevents, NAAA receptions and NAAA hospitality events. Does not include football games or Conference/NCAA sponsored events or athletic competitions. Donors who wish to secure season tickets, mustrespond to the NAAA ticket office by stated deadlines. A calendar of allapplicable events can be found at www.NavySports.com.

5 Must RSVP by the stated deadline.

6 Must RSVP by the stated deadline.

7 Provides you and a designated number of guests with access to exclusive hospitality receptions for all football games and select otherNAAA athletic competitions. A schedule of all hospitality receptionscan be found at www.NavySports.com.

The Fund for Athletic Excellence

Levels & Benefits 1

Blue & Gold: Admiral’s Row Benefits 2

USNA Foundation: President’s Circle Recognition 3

Special Gift

NAAA All-Access Pass (does not include football tickets) 4

Golf Tournament 5

Head Coaches’ Dinner 6

Hospitality Receptions 7

Navy Athletics Apparel 8

Stadium Events Package 9

Navy Home Game Package 10

Army-Navy Game Package 11

Navy Bowl Game Package 12

Tax Information: All gifts are tax deductible less any applic

Benefit Table Footnotes

8 Bronze includes one (1) item annually; Silver includes a collection ofitems each Spring; Gold includes a collection of items each Springand Fall season.

9 Provides the donor with the ability to hold private events in theNMCMS Vice Admiral Lawrence Room and/or Flag Bridge as applicable (additional costs apply).

10 Includes sideline passes and access to practice with advance notice.

11 Includes complimentary tickets to the Army-Navy Gala, complimentarygame day parking, pre-game sideline passes, invitations to a VIP Pre-Game Event, and an opportunity to reserve rooms at the teamhotel.

12 Includes access to VIP seating and preferred parking, an opportunityto reserve a room at the team hotel, and an invitation to an NAAAsponsored event.

Friends of

Fleet Club Rip Miller Society Navy Athletics $5,000 - $14,999 $15,000 - $24,999 $25,000 +

NH NH NH

NH NH NH

NH NH NH

2 4 4

G Complimentary Complimentary Complimentary

Entry Twosome Foursome

2 2 4

2 4 4

Bronze Silver Gold

Vice Adm. LawrenceFlag Bridge and

RoomVice Adm. Lawrence

Room

NH NH

NH

NH

cable benefits. Please consult your tax advisor for additional information.

Varsity ProgramsCompeting at the NCAA Division I Level

Men’s Women’s Co-Ed

Baseball Basketball RifleBasketball Cross Country Sailing (Intercollegiate)

Cross Country Lacrosse Sailing (Offshore)

Football RowingGolf Soccer

Gymnastics Swimming & DivingLacrosse Tennis

Rowing (Heavyweight) Track & Field (Indoor)

Rowing (Lightweight) Track & Field (Outdoor)

Soccer VolleyballSprint Football

SquashSwimming & Diving

TennisTrack & Field (Indoor)

Track & Field (Outdoor)

Water PoloWrestling

Club SportsMen’s Women’s Co-Ed

Boxing Rugby CyclingIce Hockey Softball Judo

Rugby Golf KarateVolleyball Marathon

PistolPowerlifting

Triathlon

Opportunities to Support The Fund forAthletic ExcellenceCURRENT GIFTS AND PLEDGESI Annual support of The Fund for Athletic Excellence is the best

way to ensure the consistent fulfillment of the Naval Academy’sphysical mission at the highest level. Pledges may be made fora period of up to five (5) years. Multi-year commitments areparticularly helpful as they provide a reliable long term revenuestream for the NAAA.

REUNION YEAR CLASS GIFTSI Class Reunions present a wonderful opportunity to make an

extraordinary gift in support of Athletic Excellence. Manyclasses have designated a portion of their Reunion Year ClassGift to contribute to the Margin of Athletic Excellence. For additional information on having The Fund for Athletic Excellence included among your class’ reunion year giving priorities, please contact Rich Goldsby ‘72 with the USNAFoundation at (410) 295-4167.

LEGACY GIFT PLANNINGI Become a member of the Robert Means Thompson Society

and create a lasting legacy by including The Fund for AthleticExcellence in your will, trust or estate plan. Lasting legaciesmay also be created by including The Fund for Athletic Excellence in one’s In-Memorium request. For additional information on the availability of various planned giving optionsand the Foundation’s Gift Planning services, please contact theUSNA Foundation at (410) 295-4186.

Types of Gifts accepted by theNaval Academy FoundationCHECK OR CREDIT CARDI Checks should be made payable to the USNA Foundation,

indicating Athletic Excellence in the subject line. The USNAFoundation also accepts Mastercard, Visa, Discover and American Express (additional processing fees may apply).

MATCHING GIFTSI Increase the impact of your gift by requesting a matching gift

form from your employer. Spouse and retiree gifts may also beeligible. Contact your Human Resources Office or the USNAFoundation at (410) 295-4190 for additional information.

SECURITIESI To make a gift of appreciated securities, please notify the

USNA Foundation’s gift processing unit at (410) 295-4115 priorto their transfer.

OTHER GIFTSI To support The Fund for Athletic Excellence through the gift of

other assets, please contact the USNA Foundation at (410) 295-4000.

Making a contribution to The Fund for Athletic ExcellenceBY MAILI Use the enclosed form and return envelope to send your gift to:

USNA Foundation, Inc.P.O. Box 79169

Baltimore, MD 21279-0169

~ or ~

USNA Foundation Gift Processing291 Wood Road, Beach HallAnnapolis, MD 21402-1254

BY PHONEI Please contact Dawn Beach with the United States Naval

Academy Foundation at (410) 295-4115.

ONLINEI Go to www.usna.com. Click on Giving and then click on the

“Make a Gift” icon. In order to make your gift in support of TheFund for Athletic Excellence, first time users will need to register.

The Fundfor

Athletic ExcellenceFor all other inquiries about supporting Athletic Excellence

at the United States Naval Academy, please contact:

Stephen A. O’Brien, J.D.Associate Athletic Director – Development

Phone: (410) 293-3767Fax: (410) 293-2207

steve.obrien@usna.com