Division II raised more than $200,000 in the 2023-24 academic year as part of its ongoing partnership with Make-A-Wish.
This contribution included $153,277 from member school and conference donations and $47,480 from Division II championships and enforcement fine allocations. Additionally, $1,319 was raised through other gifts, the majority donated by the NCAA enforcement team from its holiday 2023 charity collection in memory of former NCAA staff member and Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee liaison Mark Strothkamp. He previously oversaw the division's partnership with Make-A-Wish.
Since 2003, Division II schools have donated more than $7 million to Make-A-Wish and helped grant over 795 wishes.
"Being a student-athlete, a lot of our time and energy is focused on our sport, studies and other responsibilities. But having partnerships with organizations like Make-A-Wish allow us to focus on something bigger than ourselves and realize the positive impact we can make," said Dani Mabry, women's lacrosse student-athlete at Rockhurst and chair of the Division II Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. "Even more importantly, we are changed for the better by interacting with such incredible organizations. I cannot wait to see the ways our partnership continues to grow in the coming years."
As part of their fundraising efforts, several schools will get to experience wish reveals, which is the powerful moment when kids with critical illnesses learn that their wishes will come true.
Kentucky Wesleyan led all schools with $17,420 raised, followed by Gannon at $12,314 and Augustana (South Dakota)at $10,000.
The Great Midwest Athletic Conference led all conferences, with more than $37,910 raised collectively by its member schools. The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference was second among all Division II conferences at $31,586.
Schools earning wish reveals (in alphabetical order):
- Augustana (South Dakota).
- Belmont Abbey.
- Edinboro.
- Gannon.
- Kentucky Wesleyan.
- Lenoir-Rhyne.
- New Haven.
- North Georgia.
- Palm Beach Atlantic.
- Walsh.
- West Chester.
- Wingate.