Princeton Athletics did something amazing this year during their 11th annual Tiger Athletics Give Day (TAGD) on December 3.
They raised a record-breaking $5.77 million in just 24 hours.
That’s more than $5.7 million in one day—their biggest total ever.
This event happens every year on Giving Tuesday and brings the Princeton community together to support student-athletes.
The money supports 38 varsity teams and over 1,000 student-athletes, which helps with expenses such as travel, equipment, and facilities.
It makes sure Princeton teams can keep competing and winning at the highest level.
Princeton athletes succeed in Ivy League championships, national competitions, and even the Olympics.
And this year’s total beat last year’s $5.3 million, and that shows just how much the community cares.
An incredible 6,382 donors chipped in to make this happen.
Since TAGD started 11 years ago, it has raised over $35 million through more than 80,000 gifts.
That’s a lot of support, and it goes straight to making life better for Princeton’s student-athletes.
Some teams stood out during this year’s event.
Rowing led with 1,123 donors, likely helped by recent Olympic success.
Nick Mead (Class of ’17) and Hannah Scott (Class of ’21) both won gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Nick even carried the American flag at the closing ceremony, which was, of course, a proud moment for Princeton.
That said, lacrosse raised the most money, bringing in $776,447.
But soccer, for example, crushed their averages by the largest margin, raising nearly $550,000—428% more than their 10-year average.
As we can see, these teams are getting amazing support from their fans.
TAGD is also competitive, with teams grouped by size to compete for bonus funds from the Princeton Varsity Club (PVC).
Track, baseball/softball, water polo, and volleyball all won their brackets, each earning an extra $10,000.
Not to mention, the PVC has given nearly $2 million in bonus funds over the years, which makes donations go even further.
The PVC also ran a Lifetime Membership Challenge this year, aiming for 15 new members.
They smashed their goal, got 25 new Lifetime Members, and earned another $10,000 in bonus funds.
Since it started in 2010, the Lifetime Membership program has raised over $2 million.
Every team also beat their 10-year historical averages, which unlocked even more bonus funds.
Soccer stood out again, earning an extra $5,000 for exceeding their average by the largest margin.
The Princeton community showed once again that they are all in when it comes to supporting their teams.
This year’s theme of “golden moments” celebrated big achievements.
These included 26 athletes competing in the Paris Olympics, and six conference championships won this academic year.
Moments like these inspire people to support events like TAGD.
It wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work of student-athletes, coaches, staff, and volunteers.
The Princeton Varsity Club Board of Directors deserves special thanks for giving over $200,000 in bonus funds this year.
Over the past 11 years, the board has contributed more than $2 million to TAGD.
And the money raised this year will make a big difference in the seasons ahead.
It will help improve facilities, fund travel, and give teams more opportunities to compete.
So, if you’re still feeling inspired, it’s not too late to donate.
You can support a specific team or give to the Princeton Varsity Club to help all the athletes.
At its core, TAGD is the Princeton community coming together.
A chance to celebrate sports, education, and the spirit of being a Tiger.
This year, Princeton Athletics proved once again why they are truly one of a kind.