Western Oregon University’s 39th annual Wolves Athletic Auction is the premiere fundraiser for Wolves Athletics, Oregon’s only NCAA Division II athletic program. Proceeds from the auction directly support the over 430 student-athletes who represent the university and compete across 14 NCAA Division II men’s and women’s sports and cheer.
Western Oregon University has a storied athletic history that stretches back over a century to the days of head football coach Larry Wolfe, from whom the Wolves take their name. Owners of five NCAA Division II national championships, two NAIA national championships, over 40 Great Northwest Athletic Conference titles, and more than 20 national playoff berths, Western Oregon University Athletics has become synonymous with grit, heart, determination, and athletic and academic excellence.
Over half of the student-athletes who represent the university are from Oregon and nearly half are students of color. These student-athletes play an integral role in campus life at Western, ensuring school spirit, providing transformational diversity, and proudly representing the university throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Wolves student-athletes are also champions in the classroom, boasting a 3.44 overall GPA for the women’s teams and a 3.09 GPA for the men’s teams. Moreover, Wolves student-athletes earn their degrees and have an 82% Academic Success Rate, 5% higher than the national average.
The primary goal of the funds raised through sponsorships and the Wolves Athletic Auction is to help Western provide more scholarships for student-athletes. Currently, Western is allotted 124 scholarships by the NCAA but only has the financial resources to provide 55 scholarships, a mere 44% of our allotment. That means that over 100 student-athletes receive no scholarship support, and the overwhelming majority of remaining student-athletes receive only partial scholarships: 76% of student-athlete scholarship recipients receive less than $10,000/year and 40% receive less than $5,000/year. Increased scholarship dollars will support Wolves Athletic by making a deeper impact on recruitment, and helping even more deserving student-athletes focus on earning their degree while honing their athletic skills.
Additionally, monies raised will go towards team travel, including pre and post season tournament play, and needed team equipment and facilities improvements to ensure that the overall athletic experience is better for our student-athletes and on par or exceeding similar-sized DII programs. These funds will not only ensure the future of Wolves Athletics but help keep Oregon’s best athletes in Oregon.
