Athletics Launches NIL Fund, Upgrades with Peters Gift

Tulane Athletics has received a transformative $3.5 million gift from longtime supporters Don and Lora Peters to continue upgrading its sports facilities and launch the Green Wave Talent Fund, an initiative to expand Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) opportunities and other benefits for Tulane student-athletes.

“Tulane Athletics has entered a new era and is on an upward trajectory, along with the entire university, as it pursues academic and competitive excellence at the highest levels with a premier infrastructure and outstanding coaching staffs,” Tulane President Michael A. Fitts said. “This gift will continue the Green Wave’s ascent and further support our student-athletes by providing them state-of-the-art facilities and resources to ensure that they benefit from NIL opportunities.”

“This fund is a game-changer for Tulane Athletics, courtesy of two of our most generous supporters,” said David Harris, the Ben Weiner Director of Athletics Chair. “Don and Lora Peters have stepped up time and time again over the years, and their leadership sends a strong message: Tulane is committed to empowering its student-athletes to thrive both on and off the field. Their generosity will help us attract and retain top talent while maintaining our tradition of integrity and excellence.”

Don Peters is a 1981 alumnus and member of the Board of Tulane and the Tulane Intercollegiate Athletics Committee. He and Lora are also members of the Olive & Blue Society. Among their other leadership roles at Tulane, they serve on the National Campaign Council for Greater D.C. as part of the university’s Always the Audacious fundraising campaign. Their lifetime giving to Tulane exceeds $20 million and their latest gift raises their total commitment to Tulane Athletics’ Investing in Excellence fundraising campaign to almost $16 million. This includes their $10 million gift to modernize the university’s sports medicine and training facilities and establish the Don and Lora Peters Academic Center for student-athletes’ academic success.

“NIL has reshaped college sports, and Tulane must remain competitive in this new landscape,” said Don Peters. “This initiative ensures Tulane stays ahead in the evolving landscape. It’s about empowering student-athletes to succeed in their sports, their academics and their future careers.”

The Peterses’ latest gift comes with the rising stature of Tulane Athletics, including the Cotton Bowl Championship in 2023, three consecutive football conference championship appearances, back-to-back American Athletic Conference baseball tournament titles, and a national championship in sailing in 2022. The men’s cross-country team and the women’s indoor track and field teams have also recently won conference championships. Tulane’s student-athletes maintain a 95 percent Graduation Success Rate, the highest in Louisiana and in the American Athletic Conference, and consistently earn strong Academic Progress Rates.

Through the Investing in Excellence campaign, Tulane Athletics has renovated its headquarters, the 
James W. Wilson Jr. Center, as well as upgraded the turf at Benson Field at Yulman Stadium and the turf and dugouts at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium. It has also established a multipurpose headquarters for both the Green Wave sailing team and community partners known as the Libby and Robert Alexander Community Sailing Center and renovated the Reily Student Recreation Center’s natatorium. Additionally, Tulane Athletics is installing a new enclosed practice field and building a new tennis complex.