UNC Wilmington’s athletic program might finally be showing signs of improvement.

Roughly a year after UNCW’s Intercollegiate Athletics Review Committee concluded that the athletic department was in dire need of increased donations, it seems that Wilmington’s private citizens have began answering the call.

According to a quarterly report given out by UNCW’s Board of Trustees, UNCW has seen a dramatic rise in athletic funding, a majority of which is coming from private donations.

The report comes on the heels of the announcement last week that UNCW would cut its men’s winter track program. While the reason for cutting the program had more to do with fulfilling Title IX requirements, men’s winter track was one of the discussed teams that faced the chopping block back in May 2013.

The report details not only athletic department issues but also touches on alumni relations, community partnerships, university advancement and information on the Office of University Relations.

From an athletic standpoint, this fiscal year of fundraising showed dramatic rises in donations across the board. Seahawk Club, one of the major fundraising outlets for UNCW athletics, reported that they had raised $726,315 this year. That number represents a 46 percent increase from last year, when the club only raised $460,000.

Aside from donations, Seahawk Club membership has risen to levels that far exceeded the expectations set by the Board of Trustees. According to the quarterly report, Seahawk Club membership had surpassed the goal of 750 members, with the number currently sitting at 1,068.

Rob Aycock, executive director of the Seahawk Club, commented on the recent increase.

“We are pleased with the momentum we’ve been able to create with the Seahawk Club,” Aycock said. “Our increased outreach has been met with a very positive response from Seahawk supporters all over the country. With that being said, we still have a tremendous amount of work to be done. We must work even harder to continue this trend.”

The report also states that Seahawk Club donations rose 92 percent in the last year. UNCW athletic director Jimmy Bass described the recent spikes as a response to last May’s IARC report.

“The IARC report served as a call to action for many fans and friends of UNCW athletics,” Bass said. “Most have realized that scholarships are the lifeblood of intercollegiate athletics and are now supporting the Seahawk Club’s efforts to generate scholarship resources.”

The long-term plan, according to Bass, will be centered around continuing to fund athletic scholarships as well as updating old facilities.

“The Seahawk Club’s top priority is funding the $2,600,000 needed for UNCW’s athletic scholarships,” said Bass. “Raising funds for capital improvement projects is now a priority also.”

Over the last few years, updating facilities has become a main concern for the UNCW athletic department. According to the report, several of UNCW’s major facilities have or will be getting major upgrades soon as a result of the spike in donations.

Thanks in part to private giving and gift-in-kind donations, UNCW’s softball stadium was able to receive improvements totaling $400,000.

Brooks Field, home of UNCW’s baseball team, was able to receive improvements totaling $150,000. Over the winter crews worked on the stadium, which will be hosting the CAA Tournament in early May.  They upgraded both bullpens, reinforced the padding along the right and center field walls and put in artificial turf around and behind home plate.

They may be small adjustments, but they’re adjustments that many of the players both notice and appreciate.

“[The field] looks wonderful,” said pitcher Kelly Secrest. “We’ve got padded walls, some brick bullpens. It looks real nice.”

Additionally, UNCW has secured a leadership gift of $100,000 that will be used to renovate the Volleyball locker rooms, a facility that is long overdue for a renovation.

The only other quarterly financial information released was in regards to corporate sponsorship revenue, which has exceeded UNCW’s goal of $330,000. No official number was released.

The report also highlighted some achievements among student-athletes at UNCW. According to the report, during the fall semester, UNCW student-athletes completed 5,337 hours of community service while compiling an overall GPA of 3.29.