UNO Athletics
Preparing Student-Athletes for Lifelong Success. Like Only Nebraska Can.
Omaha Athletics advances the University of Nebraska at Omaha mission by fostering a positive holistic experience for Maverick student-athletes while striving to enhance the profile of the institution through intercollegiate athletics.
Relentless Focus on Student Access and Success
A priority for Omaha Athletics is to secure philanthropic investments for student-athlete scholarships and provide access and opportunities to talented student-athletes who want to attend UNO. The target is to raise additional funds for annual scholarships while increasing our endowed scholarship funds by the end of the campaign.
Enhancing Faculty and Academic Excellence
Recruiting and retaining student-athletes begins with exceptional coaching and support staff. Omaha Athletics must be competitive with its peers in financial packages to attract and retain the best staff possible. Support, annually and through endowments, is crucial to maintaining top-quality coaches and staff.
Transformational Research and Innovation
Omaha Athletics is an innovator in college athletics. In 2023, we launched several initiatives that further support the holistic development of our student-athletes. These programs focus on physical and mental health, nutrition, performance and recovery. Also, we are partnering with campus to offer a first-of-its-kind student-athlete education model through UNO’s microcredential courses.
FOR THE FUTURE WE’LL BUILD
INVESTING IN OUR
SHARED VISION.
Most vital to our mission is the holistic development of our student-athletes. To recruit and develop these student-athletes, we first need talented coaches. While Omaha Athletics benefits from some of the finest facilities at the mid-major level, we must provide facilities for all UNO sports programs that exceed the expectations of prospective student-athletes.
A MESSAGE FROM LEADERSHIP
“We need to remain flexible to adjust to the ever-evolving industry of intercollegiate athletics. However, our goal will always be to use our athletics program as an effective tool to further UNO’s mission.”
– Adrian Dowell
Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics
TOP CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES
Student-Athlete Scholarships
New NCAA Division I membership expectations feature expansion of areas such as grant-in-aid and the student-athlete experience. Securing investments for scholarships will provide access and opportunities to talented student-athletes who want to attend UNO. Omaha Athletics looks to grow its areas of permissible student-athlete aid and is pursuing philanthropic support to accomplish this goal.
Holistic Student-Athlete Support
Investments in the development of our student-athletes center on mental health, wellness and nutrition. Expanded staffing and education are essential to the growth of Maverick student-athletes beyond their sports. Holistic development yields immediate benefits to student-athletes during their time on campus and helps them foster skills that will benefit them beyond UNO.
Programmatic Support
Individual sport programs need to generate resources beyond their annual budgets. Support to a specific team allows our individual programs to enhance their student-athletes’ experiences. Elevating overall budgets is critical to staying competitive in Division I. This broad-based support will allow us to be ahead of the curve in addressing sport-specific needs defined by both our governing bodies and staff-driven initiatives.
Capital Projects
The creation of new space and the expansion of existing facilities are crucial to the continued growth of Omaha Athletics. While boasting some of the finest athletic facilities, enhancement of our current spaces will help us meet the ever-evolving needs of today’s student-athletes. The incorporation of sports science and state-of-the-art technology into facilities is now a cornerstone to remaining relevant in college athletics. Capital improvements will help to ensure each Maverick student-athlete has access to the best possible technology and training equipment to maximize their Omaha Athletics experience.
