Patrick Kerney Makes Significant Gift To Virginia Athletics
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May 3, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE – Patrick Kerney, a former All-America defensive end at Virginia and currently a member of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League, has made a significant gift to the Virginia Athletics Foundation for improvements to the football program.
“The University of Virginia football program propelled me to the point where I am today,” Kerney said. “Without the opportunity I was given at Virginia, I certainly wouldn’t be in the position I am today and wouldn’t have had the success I’ve enjoyed in the National Football League.
“I take great pride in having played football at Virginia and I know a lot of other football alumni do too. We are proud of the program and want to see it continue to do well. Hopefully my gift and the gifts of others will spur additional football alumni to support the program and assist in moving it to another level of success.”
The gift from Kerney is designated for a $3 million renovation project at the athletics department’s McCue Center. The project includes renovation of the football locker room, players’ lounge, weight room and training room along with areas devoted to the history of UVa football on the building’s first and second floors. Kerney’s gift matches the largest made by an individual to the McCue Center project.
This is the third major gift from former Virginia athletes in the last few months. Last October, Ronde and Tiki Barber made a $1 million gift to the University as part of the launch of the $3 billion Campaign for the University of Virginia, and Thomas Jones established a scholarship fund designated for students from a five-county area of Southwest Virginia. The Barbers and Jones played football at UVa.
“I am delighted with Patrick’s generous gift to the Virginia Athletics Foundation,” said Virginia Director of Athletics Craig Littlepage. “This is another example of a former student-athlete showing his affinity for the University and the football program. Every day our players and coaching staff will benefit from the improvements made as a result of Patrick’s generosity. I know Patrick will be anxious to see the impact his gift has on the future of Virginia football.”
Kerney, a 1999 graduate of Virginia with a bachelor’s degree in history, originally came to the University on a lacrosse scholarship, but turned his focus to football early in his collegiate career. He earned numerous All-America honors his senior season in 1998 when he was in on 15quarterback sacks to tie the program’s season record in that department. Kerney was one of five finalists for the 1998 Bronko Nagurski Award which is given annually by the Football Writers Association of America to the nation’s best defensive player. He was a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection in 1998 and also was a member of the All-ACC Academic Football Team that year.
“I have nothing but great memories of my time at UVa, especially on the football field,” Kerney said. “I made lifelong friends and some of my best football memories to this day come from playing at Scott Stadium. I continue to follow the program and still bleed orange and blue.”
Kerney was a first round selection of the Atlanta Falcons in the 1999 NFL draft and played eight years with the Falcons before signing a free agent contract with the Seattle Seahawks in March. He had 58 quarterback sacks during his eight seasons with the Falcons and played in the Pro Bowl in 2004. He played in 121 games for the Falcons, starting 106.
“This facility upgrade is an important project for the football program and Patrick’s leadership gift towards our fund raising effort provides us with significant momentum to finish the project,” said Dirk Katstra, executive director of the Virginia Athletics Foundation. “The support of our former student-athletes is critical to the future of the entire athletics program. The recent gifts by Patrick and others indicate they have a vested interest in the future of our program.”
Community involvement is also important to Kerney. His older brother Thomas, a police officer, was killed in the line of duty in 1988 and Kerney established in 2000 an endowment scholarship for children of policemen and policewomen who have lost their lives in the line of duty. He also sits on the boards of Special Olympics Georgia and The Atlanta Police Foundation.