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GREENVILLE, N.C. – Today marks a monumental moment in the history of ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club. Director of Athletics Jon Gilbert and Pirate Club Executive Director Ryan Robinson are proud to announce a record-breaking gift from Bill Clark Homes, the largest investment in the 63-year history of the Pirate Club.
 
The gift, made by Heath Clark and Lance Clark, co-owners of Bill Clark Homes, closes out the funding for the Isley Indoor Performance Center and will spearhead a final push to fully fund the Dick and Sarah Bennett Baseball Building expansion project.
 
Bill Clark Homes is the top overall donor in ECU Athletics history. Heath Clark, a former Pirate baseball student-athlete (1991-1994), holds the distinction of being the largest Pirate Club benefactor among former student-athletes. Lance, a 2000 graduate of UNC Wilmington, is the current Pirate Club Executive Committee Vice President and he is a 2024 ECU Honorary Alumni Award recipient.
 
Bill Clark, father of Heath, Hunter, and Lance, has a long history of philanthropy with ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club spanning nearly 40 years. Heath and Lance are honored to continue their father's legacy of philanthropy.
 
Clark-LeClair Stadium, home of the nationally ranked Pirates baseball team, was named after Bill and former head coach Keith LeClair in 2004. Today's announcement not only secures funding for these key projects but also sets the stage for continued success in ECU Athletics.
 
"This gift is an incredible act of generosity by Bill Clark Homes," ECU Director of Athletics Jon Gilbert said. "Lance and Heath Clark continue to be game changers for ECU Athletics. Their leadership and commitment, demonstrated through this historic investment, show the commitment they have to our current and future student-athletes. Their leadership extends beyond facilities to include critical backing for Team Boneyard and NIL opportunities, helping shape the future of ECU Athletics."
 
In addition to closing the funding of the indoor facility and investing in the baseball building expansion, Bill Clark Homes has committed to ongoing support for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities for Pirate student-athletes, ensuring their success both on and off the field. Bill Clark Homes has been the consistent leader in contributions to Team Boneyard, a collective formed in 2022 to support NIL opportunities.

"We understand the role that ECU Athletics plays in our community," Lance Clark said. "Going to Pirate sporting events unites us, it's imperative that we continue to invest in the future. This is more than just a donation – it's an investment in our student-athletes, our programs and coaches, and the entire ECU community. With strong facilities and a commitment to Team Boneyard, we can attract the best talent and compete at the highest level."
 
Heath Clark echoed these sentiments, expressing his family's desire to give back to a university that has meant so much to them. "Since my time as a student-athlete, I have believed in the potential of ECU and the Pirates. We hope this investment inspires future donors to step forward, whether it's through the Pirate Club or NIL opportunities. We all must work together to position ECU for success."

Bill Clark Homes has also pledged to match up to $1 million to help close the remaining gap in funding the baseball building expansion. The Pirate Club will launch a week-long giving initiative to complete this funding and move the project forward. More details will be released soon.
 
"We are forever grateful to Bill Clark Homes and the leadership continually displayed by Heath and Lance Clark," ECU Head Baseball Coach Cliff Godwin said. "I have known both of them and their families for a long time. They are special people. Their commitment and generosity, especially from a former Pirate, means the world to us. We have developed a championship baseball program, and this expansion will further enhance our ability to compete for a national championship."
 
Bill Clark Homes made a leadership gift of $900,000 in 2016 to support the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Southside Renovation Campaign. The business made a significant gift to the "We Believe" Fund created in 2020 to help offset costs during the pandemic. The company also partnered with ECU Athletics prior to the 2021 football season-opener to distribute tickets to frontline workers, first responders, military members, and health care workers.
 
"This is a transformative gift that will have a lasting impact on our student-athletes," Pirate Club Executive Director Ryan Robinson said. "Lance and Heath's passion for ECU and its athletic programs is inspiring, and their dedication ensures that our student-athletes have what they need to succeed both now and into the future."
 
In 2022, the Clark Family made a $2 million investment in the Pirates Unite Campaign, which included $100,000 donation to the nine Pirates women's programs, making an immediate impact on their operational needs. Since its launch in 2022, the Pirates Unite Campaign has raised nearly $40 million, fully funding several projects including the Isley Indoor Performance Center, the ECU Golf Facility by the Harold Varner Family, chairback seats and enhancements to Minges Coliseum, new LED lighting in Minges Coliseum, Clark-LeClair Stadium and the Max R. Joyner Family Stadium. The two largest one-time gifts in Pirate Club history have come the last three years and the top eight gifts since 2019.

Original article published by ecupirates.com.