As Saint Martin's University Athletics celebrates its centenary of conference sports competition, it is worth remembering that the athletic tradition on campus nearly came to an end, and how the acts of supporters helped keep the program up and running.

In 1986, amid financial challenges facing the college, Saint Martin's was considering discontinuing its athletic programs — For many alumni, coaches, and supporters, the prospect was unthinkable. Athletics had long been a vital part of the Saint Martin's experience, shaping generations of student-athletes and building a strong sense of community.

Among those determined to keep athletics alive were alumni leaders Joe Alongi, Dick Roney, and Kathy Perz. Along with a dedicated group of fellow alumni, they rallied to find a solution.

"Had it not been for SMAF, we wouldn't have an athletic program," Roney said.

Their efforts would lead to the creation of the Saint Martin's Athletic Foundation (SMAF), an organization dedicated to helping preserve and support Athletics at Saint Martin's University. 

Building Something That Would Last

The creation of Saint Martin's Athletic Foundation (SMAF) was more than a response to an immediate crisis. It was an effort to create a sustainable future for Saint Martin's athletics. The organization began as a committee within the alumni association in 1986.

"We were thinking of ways how we as an alumni association could contribute. At the time we started we had an alumni association in place and SMAF originally became a committee of the alumni board," Roney said. "So with Joe as the first president, we soon discovered that we wanted to be more community-oriented rather than just alums."

At the time, a group of alumni had already established a golf tournament fundraiser. SMAF assumed responsibility for the event and transformed it into an event focused on raising money to fund the athletic department and to issue scholarships to athletes.

Alongi, who attended both Saint Martin's High School and College, noted that he was one of the only students who lived on campus in the summers, building a love and respect for Saint Martin's.

"I think there was always a special place in my heart to repay that," Alongi said.

What began as a fundraising effort soon became one of the most successful initiatives supporting athletics at Saint Martin's.

The Golf Tournament That Changed Everything

In its early years, the annual golf tournament generated remarkable support for student-athletes and athletic programs.
During a period when SMAF operated independently from the college, the organization awarded scholarships directly to student-athletes while also building an endowment to support future generations. The tournament regularly netted between $40,000 and $50,000 annually—a significant achievement at the time.

Alongi and Roney noted that the tournament started with 14 participants, and by year four had grown to a full field of 144 golfers taking part in the event. The early push for SMAF involved putting out flyers and word of mouth to start raising awareness for what SMAF's goals were, and building ties with community members willing to sponsor and donate to athletics.

"I think the biggest result of the golf tournament is that we got the community involved," Alongi said. "The community really supported Saint Martin's."

Each year, scholarship funds helped student-athletes pursue their education while competing for the Saints. At the same time, SMAF leaders were careful to invest for the future, directing a portion of proceeds into an endowment that would continue to grow.

Campus-Wide Impact

While scholarships were a central focus, SMAF's influence extended far beyond financial aid.

According to Alongi, support generated through the golf tournament helped create momentum for major campus projects, including the construction of the Worthington Center and contributions toward library development.

The foundation also attracted community leaders and donors who became deeply invested in Saint Martin's mission. Among them was Tom O'Grady, whose support of athletics and the university would leave a lasting legacy. The connection with Tom O'Grady helped secure key donations that helped support and grow athletics, while playing a key role in both the Worthington Center and O'Grady Library construction.

"To see people like Tom and some other generous donors is pretty special," Alongi said. "It makes you feel not just proud, but pretty thankful for what this golf tournament has created. There are so many people that have been involved in this, and it's just been a blessing."

A New Chapter

As Saint Martin's athletics evolved and the university transitioned into NCAA competition, scholarship regulations changed. The independent scholarship model SMAF had operated under was no longer possible.
Rather than ending its support, SMAF took another important step.

The foundation transferred its scholarship program, golf tournament, and more than $200,000 in endowment money along with endowment criteria which now has assets of over $550,000 to the university, ensuring continued support for student-athletes under the new structure.

The endowment established through SMAF continues to benefit Saint Martin's students today, standing as a testament to the foresight of the organization's founders and supporters.

A Legacy 100 Years in the Making

A century of Saint Martin's athletics has been built by countless student-athletes, coaches, staff members, alumni, and supporters. Yet among the many stories that define this history, the story of SMAF stands out as a reminder of what can happen when a community comes together to protect something it values.

Had those alumni not stepped forward when athletics faced an uncertain future, the story of Saints athletics might look very different today.

In reflecting on SMAF's impact on the student-athlete experience over the years, Alongi pointed out a letter written to him by one of the first athletes to ever receive a scholarship from SMAF.

"She wrote us a letter that still makes tears come to my eyes," Alongi said. "That's the satisfaction it brings me, and she's still involved".

Theresa Hanson, Saint Martin's current athletic director, is humbled by the foresight Joe, Dick, Kathy, and so many others had in 1986, and is eternally grateful for the promise they made — that this community would never let a Saint go without the chance to compete, learn, and grow.

"This program has never belonged to any one team or era — it belongs to a community that has shown up for it again and again," Hanson said. "SMAF is the clearest example of that: ordinary people giving extraordinary amounts of themselves so student-athletes they'd never meet could have a chance. That's a legacy worth protecting."

Donations to the Saint Martin's Athletic Scholarship Endowment can be made here.