Colorado State University Athletics
Athletics Rides Wave of Momentum into New Era
9/3/2026 12:00:00 PM | General, Ram Club
Ram Country continues to fuel vision for the future
John Weber showed up for work with a vision and a plan.
The Colorado State graduate had been a successful businessman in multiple ventures, but he'd never been an athletic director. He took what he knew, surrounded himself with people who could fill in the blanks and set forth.
He shared the belief – conference affiliation or not – Colorado State is a power institution and thus should act and present itself as such. Nor was he ever coy about what his vision was going to require to come to fruition.
Ample support from Ram Country, and in his two years as the Director of Athletics, he's found multiple people who have backed his outlook for the future, and 2025 was the best year yet.
"We have lofty goals for our programs as we enter the Pac-12 era, and we cannot achieve them without the great support of Rams near and far. Ram Country has shown tremendous support for CSU Athletics and stepped up in a huge way to help uplift our programs," Weber said. "I am grateful for the efforts of Scott Roberts and the CSU Foundation on this journey. We have great alignment and partnership with them. Together we will continue to make great strides for the athletics department and our university."
The Ram Club created the McGraw Society, an exclusive group of investors in CSU Athletics who have made a minimum commitment of $25,000 or more over a five-year period beyond Ram Athletic Fund contributions. That group stands at 153 members as CSU entered the Pac-12, 12 of whom have established themselves as Ridgeline members – committing to give $250,000 or more to CSU Athletics.
Weber understood that while earning a world-class degree and maximizing student-athlete potential remains the core foundation of college athletics, increased resources are critical to advancing the vision of the athletic department. And this vision is laser-focused on serving the entire University, an important priority that so many other alumni and friends share with Weber.
With a common goal, working in coordination with the Colorado State University Foundation helps move the entire CSU community forward.
"Thanks to our generous and stalwart community, the momentum we're seeing across the Ram Club and the McGraw Society reflects something special happening at Colorado State — our alumni and supporters are more engaged than ever in shaping the future of this university," said Roberts, the president and chief executive officer of the CSU Foundation. "With the McGraw Society now surpassing 150 members, these communities aren't just fueling athletics and academic excellence individually; together, they represent the backbone of our fundraising success and our ability to invest in what matters most for our student-athletes and programs."
Weber knows people are more likely to invest in a product that is showing growing returns, which was happening on the field of play. In the prior two years, Colorado State ranked 18th in all of NCAA DI Athletics in combined wins across football, men's and women's basketball, and volleyball. In that time, the football team has reached a bowl game and the basketball and volleyball programs competed in their respective NCAA Tournaments – one of only two schools nationally to do so. Conference championships were being won, and individual success was represented in multiple sports.
The momentum is not just perceived; it is real. And historic.
Ram Club raised more than $16 million in FY26, a 27 percent increase from the previous fiscal year. On the annual day of giving in May, CSU Athletics alone raised more than $1.6 million, a 549 percent increase from 2025. At no time previously had the university raised $1 million on that day, and the CSU Athletics department did that alone.
Weber acknowledged the support as a positive initial step as Colorado State enters the Pac-12, with competition already underway and excitement swirling around the football program with coach Jim Mora leading the charge.
This is the change Weber wanted to see. The momentum is encouraging. Carrying it through and watching it build will only help Colorado State continue to grow and complete the journey.
To show your support for CSU Athletics or to learn more about the Ram Club, please visit CSURams.com/RamClub.
The Colorado State graduate had been a successful businessman in multiple ventures, but he'd never been an athletic director. He took what he knew, surrounded himself with people who could fill in the blanks and set forth.
He shared the belief – conference affiliation or not – Colorado State is a power institution and thus should act and present itself as such. Nor was he ever coy about what his vision was going to require to come to fruition.
Ample support from Ram Country, and in his two years as the Director of Athletics, he's found multiple people who have backed his outlook for the future, and 2025 was the best year yet.
"We have lofty goals for our programs as we enter the Pac-12 era, and we cannot achieve them without the great support of Rams near and far. Ram Country has shown tremendous support for CSU Athletics and stepped up in a huge way to help uplift our programs," Weber said. "I am grateful for the efforts of Scott Roberts and the CSU Foundation on this journey. We have great alignment and partnership with them. Together we will continue to make great strides for the athletics department and our university."
The Ram Club created the McGraw Society, an exclusive group of investors in CSU Athletics who have made a minimum commitment of $25,000 or more over a five-year period beyond Ram Athletic Fund contributions. That group stands at 153 members as CSU entered the Pac-12, 12 of whom have established themselves as Ridgeline members – committing to give $250,000 or more to CSU Athletics.
Weber understood that while earning a world-class degree and maximizing student-athlete potential remains the core foundation of college athletics, increased resources are critical to advancing the vision of the athletic department. And this vision is laser-focused on serving the entire University, an important priority that so many other alumni and friends share with Weber.
With a common goal, working in coordination with the Colorado State University Foundation helps move the entire CSU community forward.
"Thanks to our generous and stalwart community, the momentum we're seeing across the Ram Club and the McGraw Society reflects something special happening at Colorado State — our alumni and supporters are more engaged than ever in shaping the future of this university," said Roberts, the president and chief executive officer of the CSU Foundation. "With the McGraw Society now surpassing 150 members, these communities aren't just fueling athletics and academic excellence individually; together, they represent the backbone of our fundraising success and our ability to invest in what matters most for our student-athletes and programs."
Weber knows people are more likely to invest in a product that is showing growing returns, which was happening on the field of play. In the prior two years, Colorado State ranked 18th in all of NCAA DI Athletics in combined wins across football, men's and women's basketball, and volleyball. In that time, the football team has reached a bowl game and the basketball and volleyball programs competed in their respective NCAA Tournaments – one of only two schools nationally to do so. Conference championships were being won, and individual success was represented in multiple sports.
The momentum is not just perceived; it is real. And historic.
Ram Club raised more than $16 million in FY26, a 27 percent increase from the previous fiscal year. On the annual day of giving in May, CSU Athletics alone raised more than $1.6 million, a 549 percent increase from 2025. At no time previously had the university raised $1 million on that day, and the CSU Athletics department did that alone.
Weber acknowledged the support as a positive initial step as Colorado State enters the Pac-12, with competition already underway and excitement swirling around the football program with coach Jim Mora leading the charge.
This is the change Weber wanted to see. The momentum is encouraging. Carrying it through and watching it build will only help Colorado State continue to grow and complete the journey.
To show your support for CSU Athletics or to learn more about the Ram Club, please visit CSURams.com/RamClub.
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