UCF Athletics received its most significant financial commitment from a former Knights football player in school history.
Ron Thow, who played fullback for UCF from 1989-92 and was on the 1990 team that finished 10-4, earning a spot in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs, made the legacy gift commitment.
“By coming to UCF, I was provided the opportunity to earn a college degree from an amazing institution and play a sport I love. It’s time for me to return the favor and invest in the future of UCF football,” Thow said in a statement. “I feel an overwhelming sense of pride when I think of what UCF has meant to me over the years. As a new member of the Big 12 Conference, we’re still just scratching the surface and I’m thrilled to be a part of that future success.”
Thow’s gift aligns with UCF’s Mission XII fundraising campaign to help the athletic department as it transitions into the Big 12. It results in the naming of the Thow Family Locker Room inside the Wayne Densch Sports Complex and will play for extensive upgrades for that football area in the next few years.
“Ron’s commitment to UCF football is another great testament to one of our Varsity Knights giving back to a program that he believes has given him so much,” UCF athletics director Terry Mohajir said in the statement.
Added coach Gus Malzahn: “We’re so appreciative of Ron and his support for our program. This is a big-time gift and it will be huge for the future of our program moving forward.”
Thow, originally from Staten Island, New Jersey, is a former board member of the UCF Foundation and is currently on the board of UCF’s NIL collective, The Kingdom.
Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.