WINTER PARK, Fla. (November 2, 2026) - The Rollins Office of Institutional Advancement has completed their gift processing and released the results of the 2026 Tars Cup Challenge on Monday morning. The annual fundraiser, which officially ran from October 19-23 this year, raised $259,228 in donations.
In previous years, the team who raised the most money per rostered athlete would win the coveted Tars Cup and receive a bonus of donated funds. This year, however, the rules were switched up in order to allow more teams the chance for a bonus.Â
This year's gold winner, and recipient of the Cup, was softball. Under the campaign of interim head coach Chuck Schall, the softball team increased their donations by 426.7% ($13,440) compared to last year's total. In addition to the cup, the team will also earn an extra $5,000 in funds.Â
The silver award was given to the team that had the highest overall donor count. Women's lacrosse had the most successful campaign in that regard, seeing 179 unique donors make gift totaling $24,828 towards their program. Women's lacrosse earns an additional $2,500.Â
The bronze prize went to the team that had the largest percentage of alumni support. Men's basketball saw 62% of their gifts (13 donors, $7,815) coming from former Tars, earning them an extra $1,500.Â
Lastly, the rowing team earned the MVP award for having the most advocate-generated gifts (61), which gave them $1,000 more in their fund. Rowing also had the most amount of dollars donated, eclipsing the $50,000 mark for the second consecutive year.Â
"What an incredible showing from our supporters, alumni, family, and friends," stated Associate Vice President of Athletics
Pennie Parker. "This campaign is crucial to our operations each year, and it is fantastic to see so many generous donations pouring in from all over the world to help us deliver the best possible experience for our student-athletes."
2026 Tars Cup Challenge Results
