With the help of alumni like Matthew H. Fleeger, Southern Methodist University's athletics department exceeds its fundraising goal of $125 million

The Southern Methodist University Mustangs have exceeded their $125 million goal for their Atlantic Coast Conference competitive campaign thanks in large part to a generous donation from Matthew H. Fleeger, SMU class of 1987, and Candee Richmond Fleeger, SMU class of 1986. Their Fleeger Family Foundation played a critical role in helping SMU reach its ambitious goal.

SMU Athletic Director Rick Hart said, “We are deeply grateful to Matt Fleeger and the Fleeger Family Foundation for their extraordinary generosity. Their commitment not only moves us closer to our campaign goal, but also significantly improves our facilities and resources and positions SMU Athletics for continued success in the ACC.”

The campaign was launched in response to SMU's move to the College Athletic Conference. The goal of the campaign is to strengthen the university's athletic programs and enable its athletes to remain competitive in the ACC while competing at the highest level in college sports. The original goal of this campaign was an ambitious $125 million, but it just set a record for fiscal year 2024 by raising $159 million in cash and pledges.

The Fleeger Family Foundation

To help the campaign reach its goal, the Fleeger Family Foundation donated $2 million, with $1.2 million earmarked for the Weber End Zone Complex and the remaining $800,000 going to the general fund.

“I am excited about the future direction of SMU Athletics,” said Matt Fleeger. “There has never been a better time to be a Mustang and I am proud to support our transition to the ACC.”

A dedicated alumnus, Fleeger is president and CEO of Gulf Coast Western, an oil and gas company that operates primarily in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and Colorado. His company, Gulf Coast Western, is a thriving oil and gas company that explores, develops and acquires domestic gas and oil reserves. Fleeger is known for his numerous charitable ventures, including a partnership with the Sadie Keller Foundation, which works to give toys to sick children during the holiday season.

Sadie Keller was only seven years old when she was diagnosed with leukemia. She courageously founded a nonprofit that provides toys to hospitalized children during the holidays—and Fleeger and Gulf Coast Western donated $25,000 to Keller's efforts and sponsored the foundation's annual fundraising gala.

Matt Fleeger is a cancer survivor himself and feels tremendous compassion for Keller's efforts on behalf of sick young children.

The future of the Mustangs

With the success of this campaign, the future of the Mustangs looks bright. After a record-breaking eight-championship season, the team is poised to reach new levels of success — it has already set a new record for season ticket sales at Ford Stadium. Although the original goal of the ACC Competition Campaign has already been achieved, philanthropic support for the department remains a top priority.