UMD News Releases

Announces $500,000 Matching Challenge by Dave and Lisa Goldberg

Names Scott "Skeeter" Moore Director of Development for UMD Athletics

At a press conference this morning Chancellor Kathryn A. Martin announced the launch of the UMD Athletics "Step-up Endowment Campaign". With a goal of $1.5 million, the campaign is the most ambitious fund raising effort ever by the athletics department. Chancellor Martin further announced that a $500,000 matching funds challenge has been put forward by Duluthians Dave and Lisa Goldberg.

A 1957 graduate of UMD with a major in business and economics, Dave Goldberg is a local businessman, a developer, and an entrepreneur. He and his wife Lisa are active throughout the Duluth community.

The UMD Athletics "Step-up Endowment Campaign" consists of two distinct parts:

Part One has a goal of $500,000 to create six partial scholarships for Division I hockey. UMD volunteer leadership and staff will be looking to hockey friends and alumni throughout Duluth, Northern Minnesota, and the Twin Cities area for support in this effort. The campaign appeal will also reach out across the United States and into Canada.

Part Two has a goal of $1 million, bolstered by a $500,000 matching funds challenge from Dave and Lisa Goldberg. The money raised will be used to increase scholarship funding for UMD's Division II sports.

Last October, UMD was invited to take a giant "step-up" and join the North Central Conference (NCC) described by some as the "best NCAA Division II conference in the nation". UMD will begin competing in the nine member NCC in the fall of 2004, requiring it to increase scholarships to meet the stiffer competition and protocols of the new league.

"We are happy and proud to launch the UMD Athletics 'Step-up Endowment Campaign,'" said Chancellor Martin. "Just as UMD teams have continued to step-up to high levels of play in both Division I and Division II sports, UMD alumni and friends are being invited to step-up to help provide support to maintain these vibrant, exciting levels of team play. And we are indeed grateful to Dave and Lisa Goldberg for their generous matching funds challenge and for their continued commitment and support of UMD athletics."

Chancellor Martin also announced the appointment of Scott "Skeeter" Moore as Director of Development for UMD Athletics. Moore graduated from UMD in 1987 with a major in communication and a minor in psychology. He was a stand-out UMD hockey player and was named to the WCHA All-Academic Team. After graduation, he played professional hockey in Sweden for ten years. Moore will begin his duties on April 1.

Robert Corran, Director of UMD Athletics stated, "I also want to sincerely thank the members of the Bulldog Club for their outstanding accomplishments on behalf of UMD sports, and to strongly emphasize that we continue to rely on their fine efforts to provide important gifts for annual scholarships and operational needs."