BUTTE -- Following a memorable weekend in Butte that brought together basketball fans, young athletes, and supporters of Montana Tech, University of Houston men's basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson and his wife, Karen, are making an even greater investment in the future of Oredigger men's basketball.
The Sampsons have pledged to match all gifts up to $100,000 to the Kelvin and Karen Sampson Endowed Scholarship, providing Montana Tech supporters with an opportunity to double the impact of their gifts to the men's basketball program.
The matching campaign will run through Montana Tech's exhibition game in Houston on Thursday, October 15.
Sampson, who coached the Oredigger men's basketball team from 1981-85, returned to Montana Tech on August 28-29 for a weekend that celebrated his connection to the Orediggers and raised support for the program. The visit featured a youth basketball camp at the Montana Tech HPER Complex, giving area young athletes the opportunity to learn from one of the most accomplished coaches in college basketball, as well as a scholarship fundraiser dinner that brought together Montana Tech supporters and members of the Butte community.
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Both events were met with tremendous community support and highlighted the lasting impact Sampson and his family have had on Montana Tech and the Butte community.
"Words cannot adequately express our gratitude to Coach Kelvin Sampson and his family for the time, generosity, and love they poured into Montana Tech and the Butte community this past weekend," Montana Tech men's basketball coach Adam Hiatt said. "The greatest indicator of what we value is where we choose to invest our time, and Coach Sampson has demonstrated time and time again that Montana Tech and the Butte community hold a very special place in his heart. From spending time with our student-athletes and sharing his wisdom, to working with young players at camp, meaningful conversations about the game and his journey, and an unforgettable evening with our supporters, Coach Sampson, Karen, and family, gave us a weekend we will never forget."
The Sampsons' $100,000 matching pledge now gives Montana Tech supporters the opportunity to build on the momentum of the weekend.
Every dollar donated to the Kelvin and Karen Sampson Endowed Scholarship through October 15 will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Sampsons up to $100,000.
The endowed scholarship is designed to provide long-term financial support for student-athletes competing for Montana Tech men's basketball. As an endowed fund, the scholarship will continue supporting Oredigger student-athletes for generations to come.
"The Kelvin and Karen Sampson Endowed Scholarship is the pinnacle of Coach Sampson's legacy at Montana Tech," Hiatt said. "The scholarship has already changed the lives of numerous men's basketball student-athletes, and their incredibly generous commitment gives all of us an opportunity to help carry that legacy forward. There is no better way to honor what the Sampson family means to Montana Tech than by investing in the young people who will carry this program and this university into the future."
Butte-born Lauren and Kellen Sampson were part of the summer visit, which also offered a glimpse of an upcoming milestone. On October 15, Montana Tech will travel to Houston to take on the Cougars in an exhibition game. The matchup will bring Sampson and the Cougars together with the Orediggers on the court and provide a fitting culmination to a special series of events celebrating the relationship between Sampson and Montana Tech.
Montana Tech men's basketball supporters can participate in the matching campaign by making a gift to the Kelvin and Karen Sampson Endowed Scholarship before the October 15 exhibition game. To make a gift and have your contribution matched, click here.
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