Outlast. Outplay. Outgive. The challenge is on.
Athletics Day of Donors is a 24-hour giving challenge that unites the Hobart and William Smith community in support of our student-athletes. For one day only, alumni, families, fans, and friends come together to make a lasting impact on HWS Athletics.
Our student-athletes meet each day with determination, resilience and pride. Gifts made during Athletics Day of Donors provide the resources that sustain that effort.
When you give to Hobart Athletics, you become a member of the Statesmen Athletic Association. When you give to William Smith Athletics, you join the Heron Society—both dedicated communities that champion our student-athletes. Whether you support the team(s) you love or all of HWS Athletics, your generosity fuels momentum and helps our Herons and Statesmen thrive in competition and beyond.
Thanks to the generosity of Cindy Caird Gitelson L.H.D. ’12 and Stanley Gitelson, the Caird Challenge (#CAIRDCHALLENGE) is back! The Caird Challenge honors the legacy of her late husband, James F. ’56, L.H.D. ’12, with bonus funds up for grabs for Hobart and William Smith athletic teams!
- The top two teams with highest percentage of dollar goal
- The top two teams with the best video (judged by a campus panel)
**You will only be counted once toward the donor goal for each team you select!
P.S. If you have any difficulty making your gift, please contact Wendy Barnhart at (315) 781-3725 or barnhart@hws.edu, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST. Thank you!
*Offline gifts will be counted after the close of the giving day to ensure accuracy. Note that the leaderboard may vary slightly from actual numbers because of this.
ADOD 2026 was one for the record books! Here's a look at how our teams performed throughout the day:
The top three teams who raised the most money:
Hobart: 1) Soccer 2) Lacrosse 3) Basketball
William Smith: 1) Bowling 2) Field Hockey 3) Rowing
The top three teams with the highest number of donors:
Hobart: 1) Lacrosse 2) Soccer 3) Rowing
William Smith: 1) Soccer 2) Rowing 3) Field Hockey
Caird Challenge Winners:
Percent Over Dollar Goal
Hobart: 1) Sailing 2) Cross Country
William Smith: 1) Bowling 2) Volleyball
Best Video
Hobart: 1) Volleyball 2) Football
William Smith: 1) Swimming and Diving 2) Basketball
103 days ago by Madison NolanThanks to the generosity of our incredible HWS Community, Athletics Day of Donors 2026 was a record setting day, and a smashing success!
We are so grateful for the way our alumni, families, fans and friends showed up for our student-athletes over the past 24-hours. Your support makes an immediate impact today, and all year long! Stay tuned for final stats and highlights from the 24-hour challenge.
To close out the day, click below to hear a message from Joe Stein '86, Chair of the Board of Trustees:
103 days ago by Madison Nolan
Our student-athletes are hard at work in the Gilman Room, connecting directly with alumni, families and supporters of their programs. Throughout the day, representatives from each varsity team are sending personal messages and sharing their stories to rally support for what means most to them: their team.
This kind of outreach brings the spirit of HWS Athletics full circle, as student-athletes invite their communities to be part of today’s momentum. If you hear from a student-athlete today, know that your response makes a real and lasting impact.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of Cindy Caird Gitelson L.H.D. ’12 and Stanley Gitelson, the Caird Challenge is once again adding extra excitement - and extra impact - to ADOD.
Created in honor of James F. Caird ’56, L.H.D. ’12, this special challenge unlocks bonus funds for Hobart and William Smith teams and the Student-Athlete Excellence Fund – benefitting all of our Herons and Statesmen!
Every gift helps your team climb the leaderboard and brings additional support to HWS student-athletes. Make your gift, back your team and be part of the challenge!
104 days ago by Madison NolanOur ADOD livestream is officially underway! From 1–5 p.m., coaches and student-athletes are joining NCAA broadcaster Ted Baker in the Heron Hall of Honor for exclusive, real-time interviews you won’t want to miss.
Tune in to hear directly from the people at the heart of HWS Athletics as they share what today means to their programs, their goals for the future and how your support makes it all possible.
Watch live right here on our GiveCampus page or on YouTube, and experience the excitement and momentum of Athletics Day of Donors from wherever you are!
104 days ago by Madison NolanThe energy on campus is electric! Our Hype Station is officially underway at the Scandling Center from 12–2 p.m., and the competitive spirit of Athletics Day of Donors is on full display. Students are competing in Minute-to-Win-it style games for a chance to win $100 in snack money – arguably more valuable than gold on a college campus!
We’ve also opened up our Athletics Surplus Sale, giving students and supporters the opportunity to grab official HWS Athletics gear at unbeatable prices. Check out photos from our Hype Station to see the action and feel the energy from campus – wherever you are cheering from today!
🏆Leaderboards
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