Boise State Athletics Receives Historic $25M Gift from Allen and Billie Dee Noble Estate
10/31/2024 9:00:00 AM | General, Bronco Athletic Association
Investment from dedicated donors will directly benefit Bronco student-athletes
BOISE, Idaho – Boise State Athletics has received a $25 million estate gift from longtime champions of the Broncos, Allen and Billie Dee Noble. The investment will be used to benefit Bronco football, Director of Athletics Jeramiah Dickey announced Thursday. It is the largest one-time gift in the history of Boise State University.
"We are extremely grateful to Allen and Billie Dee for this extraordinary gift," said Dickey. "We choose to believe in epic at Boise State, and this transformational gift represents the belief Allen and Billie Dee had in us and Bronco Nation. Our goal is to take this incredible legacy and continue to positively impact the lives of present and future Broncos!"
Noble was a legendary local businessman and farmer, and in the late 1960s, he developed a passion for Boise State football.Â
For the next 40 years, he would contribute in numerous ways to the Boise State athletic department and university. He was a constant presence on the Bronco football sidelines or in the locker room. He helped fund Boise State's stadium expansion in conjunction with the program's move to FBS football in 1996. Included in that expansion was the creation of the Allen Noble Hall of Fame Gallery. He was also a member of the Bronco Athletic Association Board of Directors and recipient of the Bronze Bronco Award, the highest honor given by Boise State Athletics. Prior to the estate gift, Allen and Billie Dee's philanthropic giving exceeded $5 million.
Former Bronco quarterback Bart Hendricks, 1997-2000, witnessed first hand the impact Noble made on Bronco student-athletes.Â
"Allen and Billie Dee were an integral part of Bronco Football since the Lyle Smith era," said Hendricks. "They have already done so much for the university, and making a gift like this through their estate just cements their generational impact and legacy."
St. Luke's Health System also received a $25 million gift from the Noble family estate, creating a $50 million dollar impact for its communities.
In Oct. 2023, the university announced Unbridled: The Campaign for Boise State University, which aims to raise $500 million and runs through 2028. The Unbridled campaign is the most ambitious philanthropic and alumni engagement campaign in the university's history and focuses on three key pillars: student access and success, faculty innovation and What's Next for athletics. The priorities of the Athletics pillar include facility upgrades and enhanced programming to support the whole student-athlete.
In May 2024, the department announced the next steps for the North End Zone Project with estimated costs around $65 million and a projected construction timeline at 16 months, contingent upon approval from the Idaho State Board of Education. The new end zone project would include additional restrooms, an open-air sports bar, a club and terrace space that can be used on nongame days, and a nutrition center for all 350+ Bronco student-athletes.
In July, the department announced its third consecutive fiscal year surpassing $20 million, following record-setting amounts in fiscal year 2022 ($24.1 million) and 2023 ($26.1 million).
About Unbridled: The Campaign for Boise State University
From groundbreaking research to expanded opportunities for the best and brightest students, Unbridled: The Campaign for Boise State University advances key priorities at the university level and for each college, school, unit and Athletics to meet the unique challenges of our time. The Unbridled campaign aims to raise $500 million by 2028 and focuses on three key pillars: student access and success, relentless faculty innovation and positioning athletics for what's next. For more information on Unbridled: The Campaign for Boise State University, visit boisestate.edu/unbridled.
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