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Benefits and Membership Levels for 2025-26 Academic Year
The information below provides details on adjusted and enhanced Golden Gopher Fund membership levels and benefits for the 2025-26 academic year.
Support for the Golden Gopher Fund remains critical in Minnesota's ability to provide a best-in-class experience for nearly 600 student-athletes. These changes to Golden Gopher Fund benefits are aimed to position Minnesota Athletics to offer enhanced student-athlete support in academics, coaching, athletic training, nutrition, mental health and wellness, and much more - all critical elements to help attract, develop and retain the best talent in the country.
The information below provides details on adjusted and enhanced Golden Gopher Fund membership levels and benefits for the 2025-26 academic year. These changes will go into effect Nov. 1, 2024 and new membership levels will be calculated on June 30, 2025 for the 2025-26 academic year. There will be no changes to how Gopher Score is calculated; however, these new benefits will be available to Golden Gopher Fund members who annually contribute $100 or more.
Important Notes:
- Membership levels and benefits will be calculated annually on June 30 for the following academic year
- Gopher Loyalty Program benefit selection order will continue to be determined by overall Gopher Score Rank
- Number of Gopher Loyalty Program Benefit Selections will be determined by annual giving level
- Current Year Gopher Score calculations will be based on gifts made from Nov.1 - Oct.31
- Any gift(s) made to the Golden Gopher Fund count toward benefits, including team enhancements, scholarship seating, endowments, and capital gifts
Annual Giving Calendar
The annual giving calendar is an important part of the Gopher Athletic year. These dates are shared in advance so that season ticket holders and donors have a timeline of important deadlines throughout the year.
See the Gopher Athletics Annual Giving calendar and important dates below:
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT!
As student-athlete scholarship costs and the overall cost of providing the best possible student-athlete experience continue to rise, Gopher Athletics would not be a leader in the NCAA without the support of each and every Golden Gopher Fund member. Here is how your support of the Golden Gopher Fund positively impacts nearly 600 student-athletes at Minnesota.
COST OF A STUDENT-ATHLETE
SCHOLARSHIP
Tuition & Fees:
$36,568
($16,654 in state)Room & Board:
$13,028
Academic Support / Development:
$3,000
Cost of Attendance Stipend:
$3,700
Sports Medicine:
$6,171
Books:
$1,000
Nutrition:
$7,319
Equipment:
$6,081
Strength & Conditioning
$3,601
Travel:
$14,921
Champions
for Life Award:
$5,980
TOTAL:
$101,369
What is the impact of Golden Gopher
Fund Support?
Golden Gopher Fund contributions makes a critical impact on the following areas:
STUDENT-ATHLETE-SCHOLARSHIPS
ACADEMIC SUPPORT SERVICES
RECRUITING
ATHLETIC TRAINING AND NUTRITION
COACHING COMPENSATION AND RETENTION
Total Scholarship Cost for Gopher Athletics
Gopher Athletics covers educational-related expenses including tuition, room & board, cost of attendance stipend, books and fees, and Champions for Life awards for student-athletes who compete for Minnesota. Gopher Athletics has budgeted $15.7M for scholarships during the 2023-24 academic year and anticipates investing over $17M on student-athlete scholarships during the 2024-25 academic year as costs continue to increase
BY THE NUMBERS
95%
Minnesota student-athlete graduation rate
$15.7M
Estimated 2023-24 scholarship cost
114
Minnesota high schools represented
14%
Amount of Gopher Athletics' annual revenue that comes from donations
313.6
Number of scholarships provided to Gopher student-athletes
The Chart Below Outlines the Golden Gopher Fund Priority Rankings as of Oct. 15, 2023
| Gopher Score Rank | Average Number of Total Gopher Score Points | Max Number of Points | Minimum Number of Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gopher Score Rank: 1-50 | 190,452 | 786,679.1 | 61,866.5 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 51-100 | 39,538 | 60,730.8 | 29,519.5 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 101-250 | 14,596 | 29,327.6 | 8,170.1 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 251-500 | 5,554 | 8,140.1 | 3,969.5 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 501-1,000 | 2,685 | 3,965.4 | 1,932.4 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 1,001-2,500 | 1,275.4 | 1,930.1 | 910.18 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 2,501-5,000 | 656.6 | 910 | 470 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 5,001-7,500 | 352.7 | 469.8 | 258.5 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 7,501-10,000 | 183.7 | 258.16 | 123 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 10,001-12,500 | 86 | 122.65 | 56 |
| Gopher Score Rank: 12,500+ | 28.6 | 55.9 | 1.5 |