Barefoot Athletics Challenge Returns to Support Student-Athletes

March 3, 2022

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The annual Barefoot Athletics Challenge kicks off next week, March 7–10, putting the ball in the hands of alumni, friends, and fans to support Babson’s athletic programs.

Barefoot Athletics Challenge

The Barefoot Athletics Challenge—initially funded by former Babson President Brian Barefoot ’66, H’09, P’01—encourages alumni athletes, parents of student-athletes, and Babson superfans to make a gift in support of the College’s student-athletes. In the competition last year, 1,567 donors contributed an all-time record of $200,076.

During the challenge, Babson’s 22 men’s and women’s athletics teams—which include about one-quarter of the College’s undergraduate population—compete to help unlock $10,000 in challenge funds, and the team with the highest percentage of alumni donors receives an additional $5,000 in challenge funds.

Gifts also can be designated for key Babson Athletics priorities, including the Women’s Empowerment Fund, which was created to ensure equal support for women’s athletics programs at Babson. The Women’s Empowerment Fund is the focus of Babson Athletics’ campaign this year to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX.

The Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) will host a kickoff event Sunday at Roger’s Pub for current student-athletes to start the Barefoot Challenge by supporting their own teams.