“If we have our community partners and our native Sacramentos come back and invest in it, I think we can have something very, very big here.”<\/p>\n
SACRAMENTO, Calif. \u2014 Sacramento State<\/a> and Wilton Rancheria<\/a> announced a historic partnership during a sold-out Hornets men\u2019s basketball game, unveiling a $7.5 million, five-year agreement that university leaders say is the largest corporate gift in Sacramento State Athletics history.<\/p>\n The announcement comes just days after the university revealed a separate $50 million investment from Meta to help develop a new downtown campus, signaling what school leaders describe as a transformational moment for Sacramento State.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the largest corporate partnership, gift, that we\u2019ve had at Sacramento State Athletics, and I couldn\u2019t be more excited to partner with such a good group of people over at Wilton Rancheria and Sky River Casino,\u201d said Mark Orr, the university\u2019s director of athletics.<\/p>\n Orr said the agreement will bring major investments to Sacramento State football, along with the men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball programs, while also strengthening ties between the university and one of the region\u2019s most prominent Native American communities.<\/p>\n Wilton Rancheria Tribal Chairman Jesus Tarango said the partnership grew out of conversations about how to strengthen Sacramento State. Tarango said his personal connection to the university helped shape the agreement.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m an alumni. I haven\u2019t graduated but. I, I went here, and so I understand, you know what Sac State lacks, and if we have our community partners and our native Sacramentos come back and invest in it, I think we can have something very, very big here,\u201d Tarango said.<\/p>\n As part of the agreement, Sacramento State debuted specially designed Native American\u2013themed uniforms Saturday. The partnership also includes philanthropic support for the university\u2019s Native American college.<\/p>\n President Luke Wood said the college is designed for students interested in learning about Native history, life and culture.<\/p>\n \u201cWhich is our, our, a college that we have in Sacramento State that\u2019s specifically designed for students who are interested in learning more about Native history, life, and culture, and it\u2019s led by Doctor Annette Reed and is really just an amazing group of students,\u201d Wood said. \u201cCurrently, we have students representing over 25 different tribal nations as part of that college.\u201d<\/p>\n Earlier in the week, Wood announced another major investment for the university \u2014 $50 million from Meta \u2014 which will go toward developing a new downtown campus on Capitol Mall near the state Capitol.<\/p>\n State Sen. Angelique Ashby, who represents Sacramento and Elk Grove, called the investment a benefit for both the city and students.<\/p>\n \u201cAn investment that helps both our urban core and our young people and addresses the need around housing and education. It\u2019s a win, win, win,\u201d Ashby said.<\/p>\n University leaders say the combined investments will help Sacramento State recruit and retain student-athletes and continue to build its athletic programs.<\/p>\n \u201cI maintain what I have said from the very beginning, we\u2019ll be playing the FBS schedule in 2026,\u201d Wood said.<\/p>\n The downtown campus remains in the planning phase. Wood also said another major announcement is coming, adding that it will involve football but declining to share additional details.<\/p>\n