The Pitt football program will receive a record $ 20 million gift from alumni Chris Bickell

The Pitt football program announced Thursday morning that it had received a $ 20 million gift from 1997 Pitt alumni Chris Bickell. The gift set a record for the largest donation ever made to the Pitt sports program.

Chris is a generous and longtime supporter of the University of Pittsburgh football program, Chancellor Patrick Gallagher said Thursday. However, this gift is perhaps his most powerful, and it will help shape the future and success of Pitt football for years to come.

$ 20 million will be used for capital increases designed to benefit current and future Pitt football players. Half of the gift will be used immediately for education and nutrition expenses, as well as for improving the infrastructure of the learning environment. The other half will be used for a donation so that it can be used to fund similar activities in the future.

In gratitude for the generous gift, Pitt has appointed the position of football coach in his honor, and Pat Narduzzi and his successors are now Chris Bickell 97 football coach.

With the move, Pitt will become one of many schools that will designate a head coach position based on the donor. Some others include the Army, Harvard, Michigan, Northwest, Notre Dame, Penn, Penn State, Rice, Stanford and Yale.

We are forever grateful for Chris ’generous donation, which demonstrates his commitment to the football program and the exceptional experience we want for our student athletes both now and in the future, said Peather Sports Director Heather Lyke. Chris understands the revolutionary role of athletics in the lives of young people and the joy and excitement it brings to both students and alumni. Chris is an exceptional person and we are proud to acknowledge his passion and support for the Panthers by appointing a football coach in his honor.

After graduating from Pitt in 1997, Bickell has spent most of his career in information technology. Pitt Alumni founded Liberty IT Solutions and served as the company’s partner until 2021, when Booz Allen Hamilton bought it. Bickell is now the CEO of WellHive, which aims to provide veterans with access to health care.

I’m a proud Pitt man, and I’m honored to give back to this awesome university, Bickell said. I believe the leadership is in place to take Pitt’s athletics and football program to a new level. I hope my gift inspires others to do their part to accomplish this.

When the $ 20 million gift was unveiled to the public, Bickell met with the football team on Thursday and spoke to players about the upcoming season. Pitt also announced his intention to recognize Bickell for his record-breaking gift at the team season opener against UMass at Heinz Field on Saturday.