The 2024-25 academic year was another landmark chapter for Toledo Athletics, not just for the incredible achievements of our student-athletes, but for what was built, celebrated, and advanced behind the scenes—from record revenue to strategic investments.  

Our athletics program has never been stronger. In each of the last three years, we have won the Cartwright Award as the top overall program in the Mid-American Conference. Over that time, we won 13 MAC championships, which is more than in the previous decade combined. Football and Women's Basketball led the MAC in attendance, while men's basketball finished a close second. At the same time, our student-athletes continue to set records in the classroom, while engaging in meaningful volunteer activities in our community. 

As the success of our program continues to rise, we are doubling down by investing in people, facilities, and campus/community engagement efforts that will fuel our journey to unprecedented heights.
 

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Unprecedented Investment: Rockets Break All-Time Fundraising Record

The University of Toledo Athletic Department shattered the department's all-time fundraising record this past year, marked by historic giving, expanded donor engagement, and transformational investments in the future of Rocket Athletics. Since the start of fiscal year 2022, Toledo Athletics has experienced 282% growth in new donations, major gifts, and planned gifts, including a remarkable 92% increase from FY24 to FY25 alone. The Rocket Fund continued its year-over-year climb, with donors stepping up at every level to impact scholarships, operations, and student-athlete experiences. Meanwhile, the 1923 Society surpassed $11.5 million in documented pledges since its inception, with over 52% of its members making their first major gift to the University. This growth reflects a powerful wave of new supporters believing in the Rocket vision—and investing in our future. 
   

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Record-Breaking Support: $4 Million Gift from Marcia and Roy Armes

In October 2024, longtime supporters Marcia and Roy Armes made history with a $4 million commitment to support both the University's and Athletic Department's strategic priorities. It is the second-largest cash gift ever received by Rocket Athletics and ranks among the top five largest cash gifts in University history. This transformative investment will directly support key initiatives in the Athletics Facilities Master Plan, helping shape the next generation of championship-caliber spaces for Rocket student-athletes.
 

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A Historic Night: Glass City Live Rocks the Glass Bowl

On May 24, the University of Toledo welcomed nearly 18,000 fans to a re-imagined Glass Bowl for the inaugural Glass City Live, a concert headlined by the Zac Brown Band that brought music, community, and energy to the heart of campus. With a dynamic stage setup and a packed crowd, the event demonstrated the full potential of our historic stadium as more than just a football venue. This signature event positioned Toledo as a regional entertainment destination and set the tone for future large-scale programming on campus.
   

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Passion for the Rockets: Crowds Fill Glass Bowl, Savage Arena

The Rockets once again drew packed crowds, leading the MAC in attendance in football for the seventh-straight season, in women's basketball for the 34^th-consective season (and 14th-straight year in national top 40) and landing in the top two in men's basketball for the fifth-straight time. Football drew back-to-back crowds of over 25,000 (Bowling Green & Miami) for the first time since 2002, as well as its three largest student crowds post-COVID. In addition, women's basketball had its largest crowd ever in a Battle of I-75 game (6,527), men's basketball drew a season-high 6,837 against BGSU and women's volleyball hosted a Savage Arena record crowd vs. that Team Down South.
   

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Expanding the Rocket Footprint: Events & Engagement

Toledo Athletics hosted an impressive 930 events across our venues this year, drawing over 300,000 fans for athletic events and nearly 150,000 more visitors for camps, clinics, youth sports, outside events and special programming. These events bring alumni back in large numbers but also invite thousands of new campus visitors to enjoy our beautiful campus, many for the first time. Key events like the Team Toledo Partner Summit brought together business leaders and alumni to discuss the future of sports, partnerships, and innovation. Meanwhile, activations like Dining with the Deans and Rockets Rise: Networking & NIL Night helped strengthen relationships between athletics, academics, and career development.
   

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National Impact: Rockets on ESPN

Our football, men's basketball and women's basketball teams had a combined 16 national television appearances in 2024-25. Last fall, ESPNU showcased the Rockets' 41-17 victory over SEC foe Mississippi State, and more than 2.5 million ESPN viewers watched Toledo defeat ACC opponent Pittsburgh in six overtimes at the 2024 GameAbove Sports Bowl. Rocket fans were also able to enjoy more than 175 events on ESPN+ and other streaming services in 10 different sports. With ESPN in over 70 million households, the exposure for the Rockets, the University of Toledo and Northwest Ohio is unparalleled.
   

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Cultivating the Campus Culture: Engaging UToledo Students

Toledo Athletics continues to serve as a central focus of campus activities for our students, leading to increased engagement, and ultimately, retention. In a 2024 survey, 84% of UToledo students said that their attendance at Rocket athletic events positively impacted their overall collegiate experience. A prime example of this is our new student tailgate location at football games, which quickly has become THE social hub on game day. We were also proud to provide our students with a unique experience at the Glass City Live concert in the Glass Bowl with discounted tickets in the "pit." Other student events, such as Songfest in Savage Arena, are annually hosted in athletic facilities. Additionally, we were honored to showcase our College of Engineering students with their Rocket Motorsports car, which led our football team onto the field for every home game. Finally, we partnered with the student organization, Greening the University of Toledo through Service (GUTS), which helped beautify the Glass Bowl by planting native plants in gardens around the stadium.  

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Facilities in Focus: A Modernized Game Day Experience

Major facility enhancements became a reality this year, including the installation of new turf at the Glass Bowl and the unveiling of a state-of-the-art videoboard at Savage Arena, enhancing the fan and student-athlete experience. These upgrades not only improve performance and presentation, but reinforce our commitment to first-class venues that reflect the excellence of our programs. Over the last few years, Toledo Athletics has invested over $4 million in facility improvements, with much more on the way.
   

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Serving Our Community: Rockets Partner With Over 80 Volunteer Organizations

Toledo student-athletes registered more than 4,500 volunteer hours with over 80 organizations in the past year, which converts to an equivalent economic impact of approximately $160,000. Our coaches and staff also were involved in numerous community projects. Among the major initiatives were projects with Team Impact, Habitat for Humanity, Gleaners Community Food Bank and Miracle League of Northwest Ohio.
 

 

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Roadmap to Success: Supporting Student-Athletes Holistically

We continued to expand student-athlete development initiatives in 2024-25 with essential life skills programs, including career readiness, financial literacy, networking, and leadership development. These workshops reflect our deep commitment to preparing student-athletes for life beyond sports—while still competing at the highest level.

The debut of the Rockets Ascend Pathways Program provided student-athletes with invaluable mentorship by connecting them with industry professionals and business leaders across Toledo. The Networking and NIL Night was an outstanding opportunity for student-athletes to engage directly with over 50 local, regional, and national businesses at a dedicated career fair format in Savage Arena. The event skillfully combined industry networking with name-image-likeness branding education, offering valuable professional connections and real-world insight into the post-collegiate pathway.
   

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Growing Opportunities: Women's Rowing Becomes Varsity Sport 

Women's Rowing became the first new sport to be added to Toledo Athletics in 31 years, expanding our department to 17 varsity programs. The rowing team, led by Head Coach Chris Bailey-Greene, is preparing for its inaugural season, marking an exciting new era for Rocket Athletics. The addition of rowing will also have a positive impact on University enrollment. 

 

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Innovating Behind the Scenes: Tech, Training & Partnerships 

To better serve our student-athletes, enhance our staff efficiency and steward a culture of innovation, we launched mandatory AI training for athletics staff and continued the integration of emerging technologies across operations. Our partnership with Teamworks General Manager expanded, streamlining communication, compliance, and athlete services. These advancements are part of our ongoing mission to operate as one of the most forward-thinking departments in the country. 

 

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Looking Ahead 

With bold vision, record momentum, and growing support from Rocket Nation, the future of Toledo Athletics has never been brighter. From championship pursuits to groundbreaking partnerships and facility innovation, 2024-25 was more than a year of progress—it was a launchpad for the future. 

For more information or to join the movement, visit SupportUTRockets.com and 1923Society.com.