For the first time in decades, Howard University will have a golf team, and they have Steph Curry to thank for that. The NBA superstar announced Monday that he will financially support the Bison's golf teams for the next six years. Howard, a historically black university in Washington, D.C., plans to have men's and women's teams in place for the 2020-21 season.
"This is one of the most generous gifts in the history of Howard University," said athletic director Kery Davis.
The former NBA MVP became interested in helping bring golf back to the university after meeting with Howard senior and golfer Otis Ferguson IV while Curry visited the campus to watch a documentary in January. "The idea around re-creating Howard's golf team and turning it into a Division I program for men and women was born on that specific night," Curry said. "Now, seven and a half or eight months later, we're here.” Curry honored Ferguson on Monday and expressed how important of a role the student played in bringing golf back for the Bison (see below).
Howard will begin to search for coaches, potential players and a course for practice and competitive rounds in the next few months.
"Golf is a sport that has changed my life in ways that are less tangible, but just as impactful," Curry said previously in a release. "It's a discipline that challenges your mental wherewithal from patience to focus, and is impossible to truly master, so when you hear about these passionate student athletes who have the talent but don't have a fair shot at the game, it's tough. I feel really honored to play a small role in the rich history of Howard University.”