Spider Athletic Fund Spotlight - Scott & Elizabeth Kauffman
6/1/2021
What inspires you to give to the Spider Athletic Fund?
Our four years as student-athletes at Richmond were truly the most transformative years of our lives. We had such positive experiences - both on and off the court – that were made possible by the generosity of those that support the University, the Athletics Department, and the SAF. It gives us great pleasure to be in a position now to support the SAF and current Spider student-athletes.
What is your favorite Spider Athletics moment?
There are so many! We are lucky that we are still friends with so many of our teammates - both on the women’s and men’s basketball teams - that we keep making great “Spider” memories. However, back in school, it would have to have been the win over South Carolina in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
If you could have dinner with one Spider student-athlete or coach from the past or present who would it be and why?
Ginny Doyle. She was an amazing person and a great coach and we wish we could tell her all of these things over a dinner full of lots of laughs.
What excites you the most about the future of Spider Athletics?
The facilities. We are so jealous that we are not current student-athletes. The Queally Athletics Center and the athletic training facilities are amazing – definitely beat the kiddie pool ice baths in the parking lot back in our days.
If you could give a current student-athlete one piece of advice, what would it be?
Put time into your building relationships with your teammates and coaches. You spend a lot of time with them so this should be easy! We feel fortunate to have maintained close relationships with so many teammates. From weddings, babies, hardships, and celebrations these were the people on the line with us 20 years ago and are still the people by our side today.
If you were speaking to other alumni or fans, why would you encourage them to also support the Spider Athletic Fund?
The SAF is a great way to directly impact the lives of Spider student-athletes in addition to benefiting the university at large. The support the SAF provides creates a variety of opportunities for student-athletes – both academically and athletically. And, a successful athletics program comprised of high performing student-athletes only further enriches the broader university community and overall image of the school.
