Penn Athletics Receives $20 Million Gift to Support Wrestling

The University of Pennsylvania today launched The Penn Wrestling Lasting Legacy of Excellence Campaign, a fundraising initiative to raise $34 million to lead Penn Wrestling into a new era. Also announced was a landmark $20 million gift from Dave Pottruck, an alumnus of the College and Wharton, a former University Trustee, Emeritus member of the Penn Athletics Board of Advisors, and a former wrestling and football student-athlete. 

“Dave Pottruck’s steadfast support for Penn Athletics has empowered our community of student-athletes and allowed them to thrive both academically and athletically,” said Penn President J. Larry Jameson. “A former varsity wrestler, Dave has launched the fundraising initiative to propel Penn Wrestling into the future with a generous gift that will provide resources to help the team compete at the highest level. We are deeply grateful for his continued leadership and philanthropy.”   

“My time as a student-athlete shaped me in profound ways,” said Pottruck. “As a wrestler and on the football field, I learned stamina, discipline, and leadership. Today’s student-athletes are no different, and I hope that by supporting Penn Wrestling, I’m helping future generations of leaders develop their enormous potential. I'm also honored to share the naming rights with Roger Reina, the man who led and transformed Penn Wrestling for almost 40 years.”  

“For decades, Dave has been committed to providing transformational experiences for Penn students, most notably in campus recreation, the Pottruck Center for Student-Athlete Success, and the Penn Athletics Wharton Leadership Academy,” said Alanna Wren, the T. Gibbs Kane, Jr. W’69 Director of Athletics and Recreation. “I’m grateful for Dave’s leadership in supporting both the capital needs of the wrestling program and its long-term financial foundation. This gift will be transformative for our wrestling student-athletes and will keep us positioned for Ivy League and national success.”  

The centerpiece of the new initiative is a planned renovation to the Weightman Hall Gymnasium, which hosted the first-ever collegiate wrestling tournament. Once complete, the renovated space will become the Pottruck-Reina Wrestling Center, which will serve as the new home for Penn Wrestling, complete with state-of-the-art training facilities and modern locker rooms.  
 
The Weightman Hall renovation will relocate the varsity wrestling team’s practice facility to Weightman Gymnasium on the second floor. The 13,000-square-foot renovation includes two main components: an 8,900-square-foot Wrestling Room that will replace the existing basketball gymnasium and a 2,400-square-foot Team Complex that will replace the adjacent Donaldson Room. The Pottruck-Reina Wrestling Center is slated to open in Spring 2028. 

“This transformational contribution will move Penn Wrestling into an elite circle of the most supported Division 1 wrestling programs in the nation,” said Roger Reina, Head Wrestling Coach Emeritus. “With Dave Pottruck’s latest gift, our foundation is becoming ever stronger, and the sky is the limit.”  

“Thanks to the incredible generosity of Dave Pottruck and the support of Dr. Alanna Wren, this is a stake-in-the-ground moment for Penn Wrestling,” added alumnus Matt Valenti, Head Wrestling Coach. “We are building something special here in Philadelphia, in every way possible.”  

“It’s exciting to imagine how the renovated facility will transform the experience for Penn’s wrestling student-athletes,” said Pottruck. “The fact that it will be in the exact location of the very first collegiate wrestling tournament is profound.”  

In addition to the new facility, which is projected to cost $25 million, Penn Wrestling aims to bolster its endowment by $9 million. Pottruck’s gift includes $1 million to grow the Penn Wrestling endowment, which supports the operating expenses associated with running a nationally competitive program.  

Additionally, $4 million will be used for a matching challenge that will be offered to the entire Penn Wrestling community. Each gift made towards Penn Wrestling’s operational endowment will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to $4 million.  

“This facility and overall fundraising mission will move Penn Wrestling into a very small circle of the nation’s most elite programs,” said alumnus Stephen Brody, Co-Chair of the Penn Athletics Wrestling Board. “The renovated facility will drastically improve the wrestling program’s physical footprint while providing the resources needed to develop wrestling student-athletes and compete for Ivy League and national recognition.”  

 “Dave’s generosity, leadership and passion for Penn wrestling is second to none,” added alumnus Brett Matter, Co-Chair of the Penn Athletics Wrestling Board. “While his support of the facility will be critical in helping Penn continue to compete on the nation’s highest platforms, his challenge and focus on the endowment will be instrumental in motivating others to follow his lead and help secure the program’s legacy in perpetuity.”