Athletics

June 17, 2016 | Mike Enright, Athletic Communications - UConn Communications

Bob and Julia Diaco Announce Gift for Athletic Facilities

The UConn Football head coach hopes to help build facilities for other sports to match those given by previous donors to the football program.

Head football coach Bob Diaco in the Schenkman Football Facility. A gift from Diaco and his wife Julia will help fund new facilities for other sports at UConn. (Stephen Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)

Head football coach Bob Diaco stands in the indoor field at the Burton Family Football Complex and Mark R. Shenkman Football Facility. The UConn Football head coach hopes to help build facilities for other sports to match those given by previous donors to the football program. (Stephen Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)

Bob Diaco and his wife Julia, when his appointment as UConn's head football coach was announced in December 2013. (Stephen Slade '89 (SFA) for UConn)
Bob Diaco and his wife Julia, after his appointment as head football coach was announced in December 2013. The couple now plans to make a donation to UConn athletic facilities. (Stephen Slade ’89 (SFA) for UConn)

University of Connecticut head football coach Bob Diaco and his wife Julia have announced they will contribute $250,000 to the University to help fund the construction of several new UConn athletic facilities.

“Like so many other members of our dedicated faculty and staff, Coach Diaco puts extraordinary time and energy into his work,” said UConn President Susan Herbst. “Bob and Julia’s meaningful and generous gift to the UConn Foundation goes above and beyond that. We are so grateful for their commitment to philanthropy, our students, and the future of UConn.”

The Diaco gift will be used to help build new facilities for the UConn men’s and women’s soccer, baseball, and softball teams.

“Our UConn football family is very fortunate to call The Burton Family Football Complex and Mark R. Shenkman Training Center our home,” said Diaco. “These facilities are among the finest in the nation and fully serve the needs of our football student-athletes. I want all Husky student-athletes and my fellow coaches to be able to enjoy the same caliber of facilities, which they richly deserve.”

Director of Athletics David Benedict said, “Coach Diaco has a clear vision for the future of UConn’s football program. He and Julia are committed to our overall philosophy that all of UConn’s athletic facilities should sustain the competitiveness of the teams that play in them. We’re very thankful for their support of our efforts to have modern athletic facilities for the benefit of our student-athletes, coaches, and all of Husky Nation.”

Philanthropy played an important role in both The Burton Family Football Complex and Mark R. Shenkman Training Center. The Werth Family UConn Basketball Champions Center was the first project at the school to be fully funded through the generosity of donors. Philanthropy will be critical in future enhancements to athletics facilities at UConn.

“Philanthropy plays an important role in the growth and success of UConn Athletics,” said Josh Newton, President and CEO of the UConn Foundation. “We thank Coach Diaco and his wife Julia, as their gift will help ensure that UConn’s student-athletes have excellent facilities to match their high performance on and off the field.”

Preliminary costs to build the baseball, soccer, and softball complexes total $46 million, and the UConn Foundation expects to be able to raise $25 million in private donations toward the projects, with a substantial portion of that total already in hand.

For more information, visit the Foundation website.