Arizona Football letter winner and longtime University of Arizona supporter Douglas Allred has given gifts totaling $4.8 million to Arizona Athletics. The funds will support program enhancements for the football and men's basketball programs as well as the Lute Olson Endowment for Excellence in Men's Basketball.

"Our athletics department's ability to provide a gold-standard student-athlete experience is powered by the everlasting generosity of our supporters and alumni like Douglas Allred," said Vice President and Director of Athletics Dave Heeke. "Doug is an exceptional ambassador of our Wildcat Family and University of Arizona community, and he embodies what championship excellence means as a student and an athlete at this flagship institution."

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Allred was a member of the football team during the 1955 and 1956 seasons and earned a Bachelor of Science in Business from the University of Arizona. While a student-athlete, he enrolled in the Naval Officer Reserve Training Corps before serving in the U.S. Navy as a member of the Underwater Demolition Teams, the predecessors of the Navy's SEAL teams.

"Doug has championed Arizona Athletics for years, both as a supporter and a passionate fan, and I am grateful for his investment in a program that was such a meaningful part of his time at the university," said University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins. "His success off the field, first in the Navy and then in private enterprise, form an incredible legacy and I am proud he has chosen to share part of his legacy with the university."

After his service in the Navy, Allred began his real estate career at Coldwell Banker and immediately became one of the company's top salespeople. He co-founded the Lion Property Corp. in 1970 and served as the firm's first president and CEO for 11 years before forming the Douglas Allred Co. in 1981.

The Douglas Allred Co. has been a national leader in real estate development for over 40 years, developing over 6,300 multifamily and single-family residential units and more than 13 million square feet of commercial, industrial and retail space.

"I love the University of Arizona and Arizona Athletics as they are the foundation of many of my greatest lifelong friendships and professional endeavors," Allred said. "As a student at the university, I met Ann, my wife of 55 years, and our family's roots have therefore been deeply connected to the University of Arizona and the city of Tucson. This outstanding institution also shaped my life as a football letter winner to go on to serve our country and build my own businesses. Arizona's dedication to a first-class experience of student-athletes and commitment to preparing generations of Wildcats for successful careers is inspiring to see. I want to ensure future leaders and champions have as impactful careers as students and athletes as I did."

"Doug knows firsthand how the many lessons learned as a student-athlete shape values, instill tradition and create attitudes for success in life," said University of Arizona Foundation President and CEO John-Paul Roczniak. "He's paying it forward for a new generation of Wildcats to forge their own paths, and I thank him for his support."

"I would like to thank Doug for these tremendous gifts that impact the everyday lives of our student-athletes and for his commitment to supporting our Wildcat Way mission of providing opportunities for student-athletes to become academic, athletic and life champions," Heeke said.