I PROMISE TO WORK TIRELESSLY TO MAKE THIS PROGRAM INTO SOMETHING THAT OUR PLAYERS, ALUMNI AND FANS CAN BE PROUD OF. MY FOCUS WILL ALSO BE TO DEVELOP OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES SO THEY CAN PLAY AT AN ELITE LEVEL AND ACHIEVE SUCCESS, WHICH REQUIRES BUILDING GREAT RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVING A TREMENDOUS WORK ETHIC. WE ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF YEAR TWO, AND THE STRIDES THAT YOU WILL ALL SEE WITHIN THIS PROGRAM.
DON BROWN
HEAD FOOTBALL COACH
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
Defining Moments
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Received $1,000,000 gift from The Colton Family to create the first fully funded endowment scholarship to support UMass Football
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Surpass $1M mark in Football Excellence Fund in support of Don Brown hire
Major Gift from Neal Brown to support UMass Football
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Closed previous fiscal year with Gridiron Club records of $291,812 dollars raised from 471 donors (2020-21 academic year)
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Upgrades to Sports Performance Suite (Nutrition Center, installation of turf training area and addition of new equipment)
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Major gift from All States Materials Groups towards the Football Performance Center
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Bob and Marianne Foote donate Major gift to fund the Bob and Marianne Academic Success Center in Boyden
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Paul and David Manganaro donate Major gift to support a new videoboard at McGuirk Alumni Stadium
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Marty Jacobson donates $5.58 million toward air support structure (bubble) project; UMass Football Performance Center is named in his honor
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Major gift Gift from Frank and Peter DiTommaso towards the Football Performance Center
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Major gift from Jim and Ellen Hunt towards the Football Performance Center
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Major gift from Bill Welch towards the Football Performance Center
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Groundbreaking of Football Performance Center
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Marty and Richard Jacobson donate $2.5 million to name UMass Football Press and Skybox Complex at McGuirk Alumni Stadium
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First win as an FBS program
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Major gift from Bob and Marianne Foote towards the Football Performance Center
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Move to FBS
About Us
Vision
The UMass Gridiron Club is committed to elevating the football program of our state's Flagship University.
Mission
The Gridiron Club will achieve this vision by providing resources to positively impact our student athletes' overall success and assisting the coaching staff with team needs. Private contributions from alumni, family and friends support endeavors to directly impact the student-athlete experience including athlete nutrition, sports performance, technology, academic achievement and post-graduation preparation.
Throughout the year, the UMass Gridiron Club hosts events to build connection among members and with the football program. Events include a signature golf tournament, pre-game tailgates at all home and selected away games, and signing day events. Members are encouraged to share their expertise at Gridiron sponsored mentoring and career development workshops designed to strengthen student athletes' connections to the community and UMass alumni network.
Board of Directors
Tom Mullen '74 President
Bill DeFlavio '72 Immediate Past President
Ted Barrett ‘89
Jason Bermant '98
Cliff Bolden '00
Michael Chuma '82
Brandon Flanagan '11
Matt Goldstein '05
Kristin Kanter '07
Paul Manganaro '87
Khari Mitchell '99
Jaret Pallotta ’21 ‘23
Courtney Robinson '09
James Ryan ‘82
Rafael Santos ‘09
Farrah Segaloff '08
Darryl Thomas '97
David Biancamano Ex Officio
Gridiron Club Member Benefits
The Gridiron Club needs you in the game. Gifts, no matter the size, make a difference and we need 100% of the UMass Football Family on board.
| Hall of Fame $10,000 | Ring of Honor $5,000 | Champion $3,500 | All-American $1,500 | All-Conference $500 | Captain $250 | Minutemen $100 | |
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| In-season messages from UMass Football, priority points, MMC membership and special event invitations |
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| Gridiron Club Parking Lot (home game parking) | 3 passes | 2 passes | 1 passes | 1 passes | 1 pass | 1 pass | |
| Gridiron Tailgate Access (pre-game hospitality event) | 10 passes | 8 passes | 4 passes | 2 passes | 2 passes | 2 passes | |
| Jim and Ellen Hunt Hospitality Room Access (in-game hospitality event) | 10 passes | 8 passes | 4 passes | 2 passes | One Selected Game | ||
| Pregame Field Access |
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| Dinner with Coach Brown, on field recognition |
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| Accompany team on away game trip |
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1879 Program
The UMass Gridiron Club encourages football alumni and other members of the community to be part of the 1879 Program (inaugural year of the UMass football program) and align yourself with a current UMass Football player.
The 1879 Program makes a connection between a current player and a member of the UMass Football Community (alumni, fan or friend). With a donation of $1,879, you will support the annual nutrition cost for one-student athlete. Your gift is tax deductible, goes directly to the University in the form of a donation and will make a positive impact toward the annual goals of the Gridiron Club. Members of the 1879 Program receive all benefits associated with the All-American Gridiron Level ($1,500).
Throughout the year, 1879 members will have an opportunity to engage and connect with their student-athletes at events, after games and virtually. The first event will be during summer camp in August.
You can make your donation here. Once you donate, please complete this questionnaire that will allow us to align you with a current player with similar focus (i.e., home state, major, interest in field of work or football position to name a few).
If you have already made your Gridiron donation for this year (after January 1, 2023), and your giving level qualifies you to be a member of the 1879 Program, please complete the questionnaire should you want to participate. Contact David Biancamano, Deputy Athletic Director for Advancement at dbiancamano@uma-foundation.org with any questions about the 1879 Program.
The game of football had an enormous impact in my life. Giving back to the UMass football program that helped to shape and mold me into the person that I am today is very important. In essence, it's my way of saying thank you. I am participating in the 1879 Program because it's an opportunity to connect with a student athlete and to be a resource to assist them as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives.
Join the Gridiron Club today!
By making a contribution to the UMass Athletics by way of the UMass Gridiron Club, you make an immediate impact on the quality of the student-athlete experience. Your contribution(s) to the UMass Athletics Gridiron Club immediately makes you a donor (support the University financially). Once an individual or entity becomes a donor that identity is retained indefinitely, even if involvement with the athletics program ceases.
The University of Massachusetts is committed to operating our athletics program in a manner consistent with the letter and spirit of the NCAA rules. The University will not compromise the integrity of the institution when it comes to those NCAA rules. Everyone associated with our department is responsible for rules compliance. Coaches, administration, donors as well as each student-athlete and their family play an integral role in maintaining our institutional integrity.
Questions?
For more information about becoming a Gridiron Club member, please contact Deputy Athletic Director for Advancement Dave Biancamano at dbiancamano@umass.edu. Thank you for supporting UMass Football!
Connect with Us
To become more involved with UMass Football and the Gridiron Club, please fill out this form.
PLEASE NOTE: Required Fields have an asterisk *