The Bill Koman Game Plan for Success

Published on March 5, 2020

As football head coach Mack Brown likes to say, “Coming to Carolina is a 40-year decision, not a four-year decision.”

Two generations of the Koman family certainly embody that philosophy.

The late William J. “Bill” Koman Sr. ’56 played linebacker for Carolina in the 1950s and went on to a successful NFL career. He and his wife, Joan, gave generously to Carolina during his lifetime, most prominently to sports medicine research and a fund that pays undergraduate students participating in summer internships.

Like his father, Jim Koman ’86 was a Carolina football player. He and his wife, Jennifer, just made the largest single gift in the history of The Rams Club and Carolina Athletics, in honor of Bill.

Their $15 million gift will fund the Bill Koman Game Plan for Success, a comprehensive development program that will prepare Carolina football players for life after graduation. In addition, Carolina’s new intramural practice complex will be named the Bill Koman Practice Complex.

“I’m thrilled that Jim and Jennifer have so generously chosen to recognize Bill by creating a program that will impact our young men for the rest of their lives,” said Brown. “With this program, we’ll be able to take that commitment to another level, and it will be of great benefit to our current and future student-athletes.”

Read the complete Carolina Story…

Related Stories


A World of Support

CPALS Fights Children’s Cancer with Laughter and Connection

A Solid Investment