Notre Dame Men’s Basketball Coaching Position Endowed

Glenn and Stacey Murphy — a couple from Toronto — have endowed the men’s basketball coaching position at Notre Dame for $5 million, the school announced Wednesday.

According to Notre Dame’s release, the gift underwrites the salary of the head coach, provides long-term stability and resources, and creates funds for use within the department.

“It is such a great honor to have Glenn and Stacey provide this wonderful gift to the university,” Mike Brey said in the release. “It will enable the Notre Dame men’s basketball program to continue its proud tradition of providing great leadership and personal development for our student-athletes in the years to come.

“Talking with Glenn and Stacey during their visits to campus, we shared an immediate connection over our dedication to education, family and collegiate athletics. I’m thrilled they have decided to get involved with our program in such a powerful way.”

Glenn Murphy served as chairman and chief executive officer of Gap Inc., from July 2007 through the end of 2014. He attended his first Notre Dame football game in 1981, growing up an Irish fan in an Irish Catholic household in Canada. He graduated from the University of Western Ontario.

Notre Dame announced a similar $5 million endowment for the women’s program in February 2015, a gift that was donated by Karen and Kevin Keyes.

In May 2015, the men’s lacrosse head coach position was endowed for $3 million by John and Mollie Baumer. And in June 2015, Richard Corbett endowed the head football coaching position for $35 million, which was a gift that also went towards academic buildings.

“The Murphys’ extraordinary generosity and the confidence it reflects in the basketball program that coach Mike Brey has built is critical to our continued success,” director of athletics Jack Swarbrick said in the school’s statement. “With Purcell Pavilion having been renovated to be one of the best basketball arenas in the country, the soon to be developed practice facility, our sustained competitive success, and now the endowment of both our men’s and women’s head coaching positions, Notre Dame basketball is as well positioned as it ever has been to help our student-athletes achieve excellence on the court and in the classroom.”