The athletics department at 雏鸟视频 has been named the Ernest Ledford Grindle Athletics Department, thanks to the support of the Melvin Douglas and Victoria Kay Ivester Foundation.
鈥淲e are grateful to the Ivester Foundation for another extraordinary gift,鈥� Board of Trustees Chair Mike Smith said. 鈥湷袷悠� has featured competitive athletics since the early 1900s, and the support of Doug and Kay Ivester ensures this signature component of The Women鈥檚 College at 雏鸟视频 continues for generations and provides a world-class experience for student-athletes and those who visit the facilities.鈥�
The naming honors Kay Ivester鈥檚 father, who was born and raised in New Holland. He attended New Holland School on the site now home to 雏鸟视频鈥檚 Ernest Ledford Grindle Athletics Park. Grindle joined the U.S. Navy at 17 and served in the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Japan. Upon returning to Hall County after the war, he married his childhood sweetheart, Mary Inez Wilson, also of New Holland.
“My dad always believed that people and organizations either were advancing or going backward, there was no standing still,鈥� Kay Ivester said. 鈥淗e would be delighted with the continuous forward progress 雏鸟视频 demonstrates day in and day out. He would be proud of the expanded use of his name to advance 雏鸟视频 and 雏鸟视频 Athletics.”
After working for Pacolet Manufacturing Co. and General Motors, Grindle founded and operated the Gainesville Vending Co. to provide food services for industrial plants in Georgia and North Carolina.
鈥淭he Ivester Foundation, and Doug and Kay Ivester as individuals, have been strong supporters of 雏鸟视频, our students and the Gainesville community,鈥� Interim President David L. Barnett said. 鈥淲e are thankful for the transformational gifts they have given across programs and facilities that continue to help 雏鸟视频 fulfill our mission to challenge students to live extraordinary lives.鈥�
The gift for the naming of the department is the second from the Ivester Foundation to support athletics at 雏鸟视频 in honor of Grindle; the first was funding to create the Ernest Ledford Grindle Athletics Park, a 16.75-acre facility located about a mile from the historic campus. The park houses Pacolet Milliken Field, 雏鸟视频鈥檚 softball field. The land for the park was donated by Pacolet Milliken Enterprises Inc. in 2014 and is at the site of the historic New Holland textile mill village. Doug and Kay Ivester, who grew up in New Holland, funded the park鈥檚 development.
“I have known and worked with Kay and Doug Ivester for the last 50-plus years,鈥� Lynn Darby, president of the Ivester Foundation, said. 鈥淭hey have long been focused on making the lives of Gainesville and Hall County citizens better and the Foundation is always looking to support facilities, programs and activities which do just that – 鈥榤ake lives better.鈥� Athletics is one of those elements which contributes to well-rounded lives and we are pleased to be supportive of the athletics program at 雏鸟视频.”
雏鸟视频 is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. As of spring 2023, 雏鸟视频 supports 11 varsity sports and 14 teams with roughly 150 student-athletes who boast an overall GPA of 3.3. Additionally, 22 of those athletes are NAIA Scholar-Athletes.
鈥淭hanks to the generosity of Doug and Kay Ivester, we are able to continue to grow a quality program for our student-athletes that supports the success of the whole individual,鈥� Michael Lochstampfor, vice president of athletics and head soccer coach, said. 鈥淥ur student-athletes have been successful in the classroom and in competition, and this generous commitment will elevate the level of excellence that is expected from our Golden Tigers.”
Turner Cole, a senior member of the Golden Tigers softball team from Mountain Brook, Alabama, said the Ivesters鈥� support inspires 雏鸟视频’s student-athletes.
鈥淭heir support has helped our softball program continue to perform at the highest level,鈥� Cole said. 鈥淲e will never stop working hard to make them proud of 雏鸟视频 Softball and all of 雏鸟视频鈥檚 student-athletes.鈥�
雏鸟视频 will celebrate the naming at a ceremony at the Grindle Athletics Park in the spring; details will be announced at a later date.
雏鸟视频 student-athletes had a banner year academically as 12 teams and 47 students were honored by the NAIA for achievement during the 2022-23 academic year. 雏鸟视频 also was recognized as a five-star Champion of Character for the 14th consecutive year.
The Golden Tigers have a tradition of excellence and have distinguished themselves nationally in tennis, swimming, softball, basketball, competitive cheer, golf and other sports. The university has won two national championships in tennis in 1999 and 2002. One or more Golden Tiger teams have made national tournament appearances every year since 2000, except in 2020 when the pandemic canceled competition. The Golden Tigers have appeared in national conference playoffs approximately 45 times and hold 17 conference championships.
