Two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry is helping Howard University launch a Division I golf program.
The Golden State Warriors star guard and the school announced the six-year partnership Monday.
The specifics of his contribution were not disclosed. But the athletic director Kery Davis said that the donation is, “one of the most generous gifts in the history of Howard University.”
Howard officials say they plan to have women’s and men’s golf teams for the 2020-21 academic year.
The school had a Division II golf program in the past, along with intercollegiate and intramural club teams.
The 31-year-old Curry, who has won three NBA championships with the Warriors, says he decided to get involved after meeting a Howard student who had been trying to get the university to have a golf team.
“The idea around re-creating Howard’s golf team and turning it into a Division I program for men and women was born on that specific night,” Curry said. “Now, seven and a half or eight months later, we’re here.”
Curry, who played golf in high school and frequently plays in celebrity tournaments, spoke about the importance of golf in a press release sent before the event.
“Golf is a sport that has changed my life in ways that are less tangible, but just as impactful,” Curry said. “It’s a discipline that challenges your mental wherewithal from patience to focus, and is impossible to truly master, so when you hear about these passionate student athletes who have the talent but don’t have a fair shot at the game, it’s tough. I feel really honored to play a small role in the rich history of Howard University.”
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
