Sabre Society member Doug McQuade (right) with Jason Williford (left), associate head coach for men’s basketball, during the team’s trip to Gainesville, Florida, in December.
Sabre Society member Doug McQuade (right) with Jason Williford (left), associate head coach for men’s basketball, during the team’s trip to Gainesville, Florida, in December.

Fans of Virginia Athletics know the thrill and pride that comes with winning championships. In the past decade, UVA has celebrated as student-athletes and coaches from the Men’s Basketball, Men’s Lacrosse, Men’s Soccer, Men’s Tennis, and Women’s Swimming and Diving teams have lifted an NCAA championship trophy.

The landscape of college athletics is changing. With rule changes likely to take place this year, universities able to offer revenue sharing and additional scholarships will be primed to attract the most talented athletes to their programs.

Virginia’s new Sabre Society, an exclusive philanthropic giving society launched by the Virginia Athletics Foundation, is helping to field championship teams now and in the future. Sabre Society members can also access members-only experiences, including team travel considerations, invitations to unique events, and special behind-the-scenes access.

Being part of the Sabre Society has been awesome. The unique experiences they make available to members create some of the coolest memories. Getting to enjoy sideline access, time with head coaches, receive an inside look at facilities, attend closed practices, and even travel with the team are things I would not be able to enjoy without the access offered by the Sabre Society.
— Doug McQuade (McIntire ’77)

Sabre Society members represent an exclusive community of philanthropic leaders whose participation has and will continue to transform Virginia Athletics and provide vital resources to make the University of Virginia a premier brand in college athletics.

Those who make a minimum commitment of $25,000 beyond their VAF Annual Fund gift (except in- and out-of-state Scholarship Club donors) that is fulfilled over five years qualify for membership in the Sabre Society. Sabre Society gifts can be designated to the following:

  • The Athletic Director’s Excellence Fund, which supports the areas of greatest and most pressing needs at the discretion of the Director of Athletics;
  • Facility projects and capital improvements;
  • Sport-specific operations;
  • Endowments, which provide annual spendable income necessary to support UVA Athletics’ annual scholarship obligation;
  • The Annual Fund Scholarship Club, for those who cover in-state and out-of-state scholarship costs each year; and
  • Cav Futures, the official Name, Image, and Likeness collective of Virginia Athletics, which helps UVA student-athletes capitalize on their brand for lifetime success.

Since the Virginia Athletics Foundation was chartered as the Virginia Student Aid Foundation in December 1948, philanthropic support has given UVA student-athletes the resources they need to succeed in competition, the classroom, and their future careers. Members of the Sabre Society will continue this tradition of excellence.