R Big Build Matching Challenge Announced
Dec 13 | Men's Lacrosse, Men's Soccer, Women's Lacrosse, Women's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – With the help of Rutgers men's lacrosse alumnus Barry Goldsmith, the R Fund team has announced the 'R Faceoff Matching Gift Challenge' as part of the Big Ten Build campaign to support the new Lacrosse and Soccer Complex. Through the month of December, all gifts to the facility will be doubled, as Barry will match every donation, up to $200,000. For full information about the challenge and to make your gift, visit https://www.rb1gbuildcaptains.com/campaigns/r-faceoff-matching-gift-challenge.
Goldsmith played lacrosse "On the Banks' from 1963 to 1966. He was a midfielder who earned a selection to the North vs. South All-Star game after his senior season. In his three seasons on the varsity squad, his team combined for a 25-12 record under head coach Bob Naso.
"I enjoyed playing lacrosse at Rutgers, it was a great part of my college experience," Goldsmith explained. "That is something I've carried with me my entire life. I played club lacrosse for a lot of years, until I was 50. I have kids and grandkids that play now. So it's been a nice part of who I am."
Using his Rutgers degree, Goldsmith went on to have a successful career in business. Shortly after graduation, he founded CGA Computer, Inc., which became one of the top providers of information technology consulting services and software products to Fortune 500 companies. He currently serves as a General Partner and co-founder of Updata Partners, which provides growth capital to software and software-enabled businesses.
Goldsmith has personally made a $1,000,000 commitment to name the Strength and Conditioning Center in the Lacrosse and Soccer Training Complex. His hope is to provide the lacrosse and soccer programs with the resources they need to recruit and compete at the highest levels.
"I think giving back is very important no matter how you do it," Goldsmith said. "I do it on a lot of different levels. Being able to help head coach Brian Brecht accomplish his vision, which I'm sure is a vision that is shared by every lacrosse alumni, it just feels good to do. This is a way to get closer to where the ultimate goal is, to get this lacrosse/soccer facility completed. I think that the more people that contribute, the more active the alumni are makes for better recruiting and better crowd participation."
Goldsmith has been encouraged by what he has seen from his men's lacrosse program, as the team has compiled back-to-back double-digit win seasons and enters the spring as a top-ten program nationally. He is also energized by the momentum and successes across Rutgers athletics under the leadership of AD Pat Hobbs.
"I believe in Brian and what he is trying to accomplish. It's fun to see the energy around the program. And you see that energy everywhere around Rutgers now. You see the Scarlet R on cars. And you see a lot more participation from all sorts of Rutgers alumni."
With the matching challenge, Goldsmith is hoping to incentivize his fellow alumni and donors. The goal is that this challenge will motivate donors to give and build the momentum for the construction of this facility.
"My hope with this challenge is to get as much money as we possibly can raise," Goldsmith said. "I would love to see that $200,000 get matched. And hopefully it's like a snowball effect where it just keeps rolling, and the more it rolls, the bigger it gets. Let's keep this going and keep building on this."
Rutgers current student-athletes are also invigorated about the potential that the new facility would bring.
"We do share facilities with other teams right now," explained Michael Rexrode, a Rutgers lacrosse captain and Academic All-Big Ten selection, currently enrolled in the Rutgers School of Engineering. "It would be great to have our own facility to match our own identity and help match our success as well."
"If everything is combined with the new facility, it's going to be much easier for guys to get out on their own and do extra work, as well come back to the same facility and be able to study," said Rutgers lacrosse goalkeeper Max Edelmann.
All donations will be applied to the new Lacrosse and Soccer complex which is part of the Big Ten Build campaign. This state-of-the-art facility will include dedicated training and equipment spaces for each program, new lounges and meeting spaces, offices, and locker rooms that will not be shared with visiting teams. Donations can be made easily online by visiting here.
"R Big Ten Build," a targeted campaign to raise $100 million for new or upgraded facilities, was launched on Jan. 20, 2016. Phase I, created in collaboration with the University Physical Master Plan, includes three projects: The RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center, a Lacrosse and Soccer Training Complex and a Football Training Complex/Renovation of the Hale Center.
"R Big Ten Build" surpassed the $50 million milestone in just 15 weeks. The initiative has received 16 donations of more than $1 million, including the three largest gifts in Rutgers Athletics history, which combine to exceed $11 million. As of November 30, 2017, 3,196 donors had contributed $50.9 million, totaling $75.9 million toward the campaign. In addition to the $50.9 million contributed privately, tax credits of $25 million, which await final approval by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, will help fund the construction. For campaign updates, an honor roll, and more information on R Big Ten Build, please visit www.RutgersBigTenBuild.com.
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Goldsmith played lacrosse "On the Banks' from 1963 to 1966. He was a midfielder who earned a selection to the North vs. South All-Star game after his senior season. In his three seasons on the varsity squad, his team combined for a 25-12 record under head coach Bob Naso.
"I enjoyed playing lacrosse at Rutgers, it was a great part of my college experience," Goldsmith explained. "That is something I've carried with me my entire life. I played club lacrosse for a lot of years, until I was 50. I have kids and grandkids that play now. So it's been a nice part of who I am."
Using his Rutgers degree, Goldsmith went on to have a successful career in business. Shortly after graduation, he founded CGA Computer, Inc., which became one of the top providers of information technology consulting services and software products to Fortune 500 companies. He currently serves as a General Partner and co-founder of Updata Partners, which provides growth capital to software and software-enabled businesses.
Goldsmith has personally made a $1,000,000 commitment to name the Strength and Conditioning Center in the Lacrosse and Soccer Training Complex. His hope is to provide the lacrosse and soccer programs with the resources they need to recruit and compete at the highest levels.
"I think giving back is very important no matter how you do it," Goldsmith said. "I do it on a lot of different levels. Being able to help head coach Brian Brecht accomplish his vision, which I'm sure is a vision that is shared by every lacrosse alumni, it just feels good to do. This is a way to get closer to where the ultimate goal is, to get this lacrosse/soccer facility completed. I think that the more people that contribute, the more active the alumni are makes for better recruiting and better crowd participation."
Goldsmith has been encouraged by what he has seen from his men's lacrosse program, as the team has compiled back-to-back double-digit win seasons and enters the spring as a top-ten program nationally. He is also energized by the momentum and successes across Rutgers athletics under the leadership of AD Pat Hobbs.
"I believe in Brian and what he is trying to accomplish. It's fun to see the energy around the program. And you see that energy everywhere around Rutgers now. You see the Scarlet R on cars. And you see a lot more participation from all sorts of Rutgers alumni."
With the matching challenge, Goldsmith is hoping to incentivize his fellow alumni and donors. The goal is that this challenge will motivate donors to give and build the momentum for the construction of this facility.
"My hope with this challenge is to get as much money as we possibly can raise," Goldsmith said. "I would love to see that $200,000 get matched. And hopefully it's like a snowball effect where it just keeps rolling, and the more it rolls, the bigger it gets. Let's keep this going and keep building on this."
Rutgers current student-athletes are also invigorated about the potential that the new facility would bring.
"We do share facilities with other teams right now," explained Michael Rexrode, a Rutgers lacrosse captain and Academic All-Big Ten selection, currently enrolled in the Rutgers School of Engineering. "It would be great to have our own facility to match our own identity and help match our success as well."
"If everything is combined with the new facility, it's going to be much easier for guys to get out on their own and do extra work, as well come back to the same facility and be able to study," said Rutgers lacrosse goalkeeper Max Edelmann.
All donations will be applied to the new Lacrosse and Soccer complex which is part of the Big Ten Build campaign. This state-of-the-art facility will include dedicated training and equipment spaces for each program, new lounges and meeting spaces, offices, and locker rooms that will not be shared with visiting teams. Donations can be made easily online by visiting here.
"R Big Ten Build," a targeted campaign to raise $100 million for new or upgraded facilities, was launched on Jan. 20, 2016. Phase I, created in collaboration with the University Physical Master Plan, includes three projects: The RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center, a Lacrosse and Soccer Training Complex and a Football Training Complex/Renovation of the Hale Center.
"R Big Ten Build" surpassed the $50 million milestone in just 15 weeks. The initiative has received 16 donations of more than $1 million, including the three largest gifts in Rutgers Athletics history, which combine to exceed $11 million. As of November 30, 2017, 3,196 donors had contributed $50.9 million, totaling $75.9 million toward the campaign. In addition to the $50.9 million contributed privately, tax credits of $25 million, which await final approval by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, will help fund the construction. For campaign updates, an honor roll, and more information on R Big Ten Build, please visit www.RutgersBigTenBuild.com.
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