Eilers Donate $25 Million for Sports Institute
Pat and Jana Eilers gave $25 million to Notre Dame to launch the Eilers Family Sports and Human Performance Institute.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Philanthropy
Live Poll
Do you think wealthy donors funding college sports research is good for all students?
Pat and Jana Eilers donated $25 million to the University of Notre Dame to create the Eilers Family Sports and Human Performance Institute, announced in a Thursday press release. The institute is a partnership between Notre Dame Athletics and the University's academic units.
Why it matters
The institute formalizes collaboration among Notre Dame Athletics, Notre Dame Research, and faculty in the Colleges of Arts & Letters, Engineering, and Science. It is intended to connect athletic performance research with academic work for students and the broader South Bend community.
The Eilers' new $25 million gift equals their earlier $25 million endowment for the Eilers Family Sports Performance Center, announced Aug. 5. The announcement does not detail how the funds will be divided among the institute's three research areas.
The players
University of Notre Dame
A private Catholic research university in South Bend, Indiana, known for its major football program and research output.
Pat Eilers
A former two-year starter for Notre Dame football, a member of the 1988 national championship team, and founder of Transition Equity Partners LLC.
Jana Eilers
Co-donor with her husband Pat Eilers to the University of Notre Dame's sports and human performance initiatives.
The details
Current projects include a study on reducing reinjury risk for athletes returning from an ACL tear and a psychology study on minimizing jet lag for teams traveling across time zones. The institute's research areas are applied data science and AI, neuroscience and mental health, and biomechanics, sensors and equipment.
Timeline
2015: The Eilers funded the first endowed assistant coaching position for the football team's defensive backs.
Aug. 5: The Eilers endowed the Eilers Family Sports Performance Center in Shields Family Hall with $25 million.
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026: The institute was announced in a press release.
Market Landscape
The gift extends existing collaborations among Notre Dame Athletics, Notre Dame Research, and faculty in Arts & Letters, Engineering, and Science into a formal institute. It follows the Eilers' 2015 funding of the first endowed assistant coaching position on the football staff.
For South Bend residents, the institute may bring new research, student opportunities and university-led programs tied to athletic performance. The gift does not change admissions, ticket prices or any other direct consumer cost.
The takeaway
Large private gifts increasingly link athletics and academic research, so donor intent often shapes which research areas universities pursue. Readers following university funding can track how the institute's three research areas develop in future announcements.
Further reading
Explore more philanthropy coverage to see how university donors are funding research partnerships in South Bend.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Observer.
Live Poll
Do you think wealthy donors funding college sports research is good for all students?
