June 17, 2011

WACO, Texas - Thanks to the continued generosity of its loyal fans and friends, the Baylor Bear Foundation enjoyed a seventh straight record-breaking year, raising more the $7.6 million in support of the school's 19-sport intercollegiate athletics program during the 2010-11 fiscal year.

"This has been a special year for Baylor Athletics and another record year Bear Foundation," said Baylor Director of Athletics Ian McCaw. "We ask much from our loyal donors and they have responded with overwhelming support. Baylor Athletics and our student-athletes are experiencing great success competitively and academically as a direct result of the financial support of Bear Foundations members."

For the most-recent fiscal year, which ended May 31, the Bear Foundation contributed a record $7.659 million for scholarship support of Baylor's 19 intercollegiate programs through annual giving ($5.577 million), endowment interest ($1.267 million) and sky box revenues ($814,124). The BBF's 2010-11 contribution is an increase of more than $1.1 million over its 2009-10 then-record gift of $6.509 million, and its annual giving total was also a Foundation record. The Bear Foundation's year-end totals do not reflect any capital gifts received during the year.

Over the last seven years, the Bear Foundation's annual support of scholarships for Baylor's student-athletes has more than doubled, from $3.312 million in 2004-05 to 2010-11's record-breaking total. The Bear Foundation topped the $4 million mark for the first time in 2006-07, reached $5 million the following year (2007-08), topped $6 million for the first time in 2008-09 and cleared the $7 million threshold this past year. Annual giving has grown from $2.565 million in 2004-05 to more than $5.5 million during the recently completed academic year.

A school-record 16 of Baylor's 19 varsity teams registered a spring 2011 term cumulative grade-point average of at least a 3.00, led by the women's soccer team's 3.68 mark and men's tennis' 3.58. Five sports recorded an all-time GPA best for any Baylor term--acrobatics & tumbling, baseball, men's basketball, women's soccer and men's tennis.

In the classroom, Baylor also produced a school-record 578 total 2010-11 Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll selections, including 56 with 4.00 grade-point averages for the spring 2011 term, a school-record 115 Academic All-Big 12 picks, one NCAA Elite 88 Award winner and a pair of CoSIDA Academic All-Americans.

In 2010-11, Baylor won five Big 12 Conference championships, produced a school-record 14 postseason teams for the third straight year, had two program's reach their sports respective NCAA Final Four (women's softball, women's tennis) and two others advance to the NCAA's Elite Eight (women's basketball, men's tennis).

Baylor's football team also registered a breakthrough campaign, as the Bears recorded their first winning season since 1996 and played in their first bowl game since 1994 en route to a 7-6 record and a Texas Bowl appearance.

Individuals looking to join the Baylor Bear Foundation or purchase premium season tickets to football, men's basketball or women's basketball games, may call the Foundation at 254.710.2582.