FEBRUARY 10, 2021

Razorback Foundation Announces $500,000 Matching Gift Donation Campaign

Former student-athlete Frank O’Mara catapults campaign with gift to Track & Field program

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FAYETTEVILLE – The Razorback Foundation today announced it received a transformational gift from Frank and Patty O’Mara that will provide a 100% gift match for the next $500,000 received to support the new Frank O’Mara Track & Field High Performance Center. Frank is one of the all-time great Razorback Track & Field student-athletes.

Located on the south end of John McDonnell Field, the new facility is currently under construction and scheduled to open this spring. The Frank O’Mara Track & Field High Performance Center will be 22,000 square feet and will serve both the men’s and women’s track & field programs. Included in the project are the John McDonnell Champions Lobby, team locker rooms, training and treatment rooms with multiple hydrotherapy tubs, dedicated weight room, team lounge, and an equipment storage space. At the outset of this project, a small group of dedicated Razorback Athletics supporters provided $3 million to support the Track & Field High Performance Center and to recognize O’Mara with the naming of the facility. This new facility will further benefit Razorback student-athletes as they train and compete for SEC and NCAA championships.

O’Mara competed at the University of Arkansas from 1978-83 where he garnered six Southwest Conference championships. He is an Irish World Champion and was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1997. After he retired from competing, he served as an assistant coach for the Razorbacks.

“The wild success of the University of Arkansas track program was unimaginable my freshman year,” said O’Mara. “While we all know that the sheer doggedness of John McDonnell drove the engine and kept it stoked for over 30 years, it is not coincidental that results improved as facilities were added or expanded. Arkansas won its first national title shortly after unveiling the first indoor track. The advent of the Randal Tyson Track Center brought dominance and 12 consecutive Indoor National Titles. The Track & Field High Performance Center will give Coaches Bucknam and Harter the facilities required to recruit and prepare the best athletes. Let’s continue the legacy that we all worked so hard to establish.”

This commitment from the O’Maras is intended to inspire additional gifts to the Track & Field High Performance Center. All donations will be matched dollar for dollar, up to $500,000, doubling the impact Razorback fans can have on the nation’s top collegiate track & field programs. Naming opportunities are also available for gifts of $10,000 or more to the project.

“On the track, Frank O’Mara was instrumental in helping Coach John McDonnell build the most successful track and field program in the history of intercollegiate athletics,” said Hunter Yurachek, Arkansas Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics. “Decades later, Frank and Patty’s generous matching gift is providing an opportunity for future generations of Razorback student-athletes, in both men’s and women’s track and field, to win conference and national championships. Frank continues to be a champion for our program and help pave the way for Razorback student-athletes who are following in his footsteps.”

“Frank and Patty’s generosity is an example of their commitment to and love for the Razorbacks,” said Scott Varady, Razorback Foundation Executive Director. “Their commitment will double the impact of so many gifts, and honor the enduring legacy of Coach John McDonnell in the Champions Lobby. We are grateful for their support and are excited to watch Razorback student-athletes benefit from this new facility in the Track Capital of the World now and for generations to come.”

Fans can help maximize O’Maras’ generous support and make a tax-deductible donation to the project in various ways:

• Online at RazorbackFoundation.com
• Contact your Razorback Foundation representative or by calling 479-443-9000
• Text OMARA to 91999

About the Razorback Foundation

The mission of The Razorback Foundation, Inc., is to support the athletic endeavors of the University of Arkansas Razorbacks. The Foundation assists Razorback student-athletes by providing financial support for scholarships, facilities and various programs that enable them to realize their dreams of achieving a quality college education while participating in athletics on a nationally competitive level.