Nebraska, Omaha athletic departments report record fundraising totals

College sports fans in Nebraska continue to be generous with their money.

Nebraska Athletics said it raised a school record of nearly $71.7 million during the 2025-26 fiscal year. It's the second year in a row donations have hit $71 million, with $71.3 million collected last year.

The athletic department has seen a 24% jump in donations, up from $57.7 million in 2023-24.

"Our supporters continue to set the standard for what makes Nebraska special," Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said in a news release Friday.

The high amount of fundraising comes on the heels of a reseating process for Nebraska volleyball season ticket holders where priority was given to bigger donors and those with existing season tickets.

The Omaha Mavericks Athletic Department also raised a record amount. Omaha led all Division I schools without a football program in generating $62.5 million in donations for the 2026 fiscal year.

The strong financial performance “reflect[s] the momentum and the strength of the Omaha Athletics brand,” Director of Athletics and Vice Chancellor Adrian Dowell said in a news release.

Omaha softball benefited from a 50% increase in donations compared to 2025, the release said. The biggest projects for the Mavericks include a $55 million training center and a baseball and softball clubhouse project totaling $12.5 million.

The former will be named in honor of Howard Hawks, the co-founder of energy company Tenaska, who passed away in December 2024. The record level of donations was likely aided by the Hawks estate. Maverick Athletics said donations are anonymous but noted in a release that the Hawks family “is among a group of donors, all of whom generously funded these facilities.”