Villanova Alumni Howie and Diane Long Commit $1 Million to Alma Mater

June 9, 2015

 

VILLANOVA, Pa. - June 9, 2015 – Villanova University has received a $1 million commitment from alumni Diane T. Long and Howard M. Long—NFL Hall of Famer and Fox Sports analyst—as part of the University’s $600 million Comprehensive Capital Campaign, “For the Greater Great®: The Villanova Campaign to Ignite Change.”  In recognition of their gift, the University will name a new weight room in Villanova Stadium “The Howie Long Strength Training Center.” The new weight room is part of a building project, set to begin in June, which will create a new home for the Villanova’s top-ranked FCS Football program and a state-of-the-art athletic training center to benefit all of the University’s 24 varsity sports.

 

“We are proud members of the Villanova community and are grateful for all the ways Villanova positively impacted our lives,” said Howie and Diane Long. “It is important to us to express our gratitude with our gift and join others who strive to enrich the experiences of future generations of Villanova Football players, Villanova athletes and the Villanova family overall.”

 

“Athletics are an important part of campus life and we want to provide our student-athletes with the best resources to help them grow academically and athletically,” said the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD, Villanova University President.  “I am incredibly grateful to the Longs for this generous gift, which will enable Villanova to create an environment that will allow our student-athletes to continue to train and compete at the highest levels.”

 

The Villanova Football program will also name its annual defensive player of the year award after Howie Long. The award will be known as “The Howie Long Defensive Player of the Year Award.”

 

Long was a member of the Villanova football program from 1977-80, during which time he registered 313 tackles. He was named MVP of the Blue-Grey All-Star Classic as a senior. In 1995, Long had his #55 jersey retired by the University.

 

“Howie Long is an iconic figure in Villanova's athletic history,” said Vince Nicastro, Villanova University’s Director of Athletics. “He represented us as a fierce competitor on the field, and continues to distinguish himself as a classy and respected professional in many endeavors off the field. Howie and Diane's generosity once again illustrates their commitment to these virtues, and will impact generations of young student-athletes who will pursue the same.”

 

Howie Long has been a sports analyst for Fox Sports on its Emmy-award winning NFL on Fox Show since 1994, when he retired from professional football and began his television career. Prior to launching his career in television, Long played in the NFL for 13 years, from 1981 to 1993, as a defensive lineman for the Los Angeles (Oakland) Raiders. In 1983, he helped lead the Raiders to a Super Bowl victory and, in 2000, was inducted into the National Football League Hall of Fame. During his 13 seasons in the NFL, Long was an eight-time Pro Bowl selection.

 

Long has also been featured in a number of national commercials and advertising campaigns for companies including Chevrolet, RadioShack, Nike, Hanes and Campbell's Soup. In the late 1990s he acted in several films, including "Broken Arrow" and "Firestorm."

 

Active in the community, Long was recognized by the Walter Camp Foundation in 2001 as “Man of the Year,” for his support of various charities including his local Central Virginia Boys & Girls Club where he served as honorary chairman, and the American Cancer Society’s Public Awareness Council. He is also national chairman emeritus for Athletics and Entertainers for Kids, which he founded, and chairman for Heart, a charity to aid battered women and children.

  

Diane Long graduated from Villanova University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Classical Studies in 1982, and earned her JD from the University of Southern California (USC) Gould School of Law in 1986.

 

In 2000, Diane authored the book, “He’s Just My Dad!” which featured celebrated athletes in their most important role – dad. She is currently a member of the NFL Heads Up Football Advisory Committee.

 Diane is a longtime board member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Virginia and was an Honorary Chair of the Capital Campaign to build a new Boys & Girls Club facility in Charlottesville.  She is currently co-chair of the Milbank Society for the Central Virginia Clubs. 

 

Diane and Howie are loving parents to three sons, all of whom have forged professional careers with the NFL:  Chris is a defensive end with the St. Louis Rams; Kyle is a guard for the Chicago Bears; and Howie, Jr. works for the Oakland Raiders in front office operations. 

 

About Villanova University: Since 1842, Villanova University’s Augustinian Catholic intellectual tradition has been the cornerstone of an academic community in which students learn to think critically, act compassionately and succeed while serving others. There are more than 10,000 undergraduate, graduate and law students in the University's six colleges – the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Villanova School of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Nursing, the College of Professional Studies and the Villanova University School of Law. As students grow intellectually, Villanova prepares them to become ethical leaders who create positive change everywhere life takes them. For more, visit www.villanova.edu.