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Gift to USF Athletics, Muma College of Business Benefits Students

Gift from Copperhead Charities was made possible by proceeds from 2014 Valspar Championship presented by BB&T, an official PGA TOUR Tournament

Tampa, October 17, 2014 – The Tampa Bay community continues to make sure students in the USF Muma College of Business and ßÙßÇÂþ»­ student-athletes have everything they need to reach their full potential.

USF President Judy Genshaft, faculty and students from the Muma College of Business, USF athletics officials, and members of the USF golf program gathered at the Lee Roy Selmon Athletics Center on Wednesday to graciously accept a $75,000 gift from Copperhead Charities. The gift was made possible by proceeds from the 2014 Valspar Championship presented by BB&T, the official PGA TOUR golf tournament in Tampa Bay.

"Whenever you receive this type of donation and the support that it represents for the golf program and USF Athletics it's huge," head men's golf coach Steven Bradley said. "I think it shows where USF Athletics is, where our golf team is, where we're going and what we're going to do to get to that next step."

A total of $25,000 will create the Valspar Championship Golf Operating Fund to help the USF golf teams meet their immediate needs when it comes to equipment and performance technology. Another $25,000 will go toward the Valspar Championship-Copperhead Charities Scholarship in Athletics, providing opportunities to student-athletes. The Valspar Championship-Copperhead Charities Scholarship in Sport Management, another $25,000 donation, will help support students pursuing a degree in the Muma College of Business's Sport and Entertainment Management Program.

"You really can't put into words what it actually means but it's a tremendous gift and a tremendous honor to receive this gift on behalf of USF Athletics and the golf team," Bradley said.

The Sport and Entertainment Management MBA program emphasizes the business fundamentals of sports, including management, marketing, finance, economics and accounting.

"We are honored by this show of support for the students enrolled in the Sport and Entertainment Management Program," said Bill Sutton, founding director of the program. "This new endowed scholarship will help our students for years to come. We couldn't be more grateful."

The 2015 Valspar Championship presented by BB&T will take place March 9-15 at Innisbrook Golf Club's Copperhead Course in Palm Harbor, just north of Tampa-Clearwater. The tournament helped generate $1.6 million for charity this past March.