Virginia Tech has received an anonymous $20 million gift for Hokies athletics, the university announced Monday. It marks the largest athletics gift in school history.

The gift will help further Virginia Tech’s Invest To Win fund, which focuses on fully funding $20 million in athlete scholarships and setting programs up for success through staffing and recruiting. It also comes on the heels of a historic budget plan approval, which calls for a $229 million investment in athletics.

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Additionally, Virginia Tech recently hired James Franklin as head football coach and rose to No. 27 in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Ranking. In a statement, Franklin addressed how the historic gift will impact the Hokies moving forward.

“The passion of Virginia Tech fans is unmatched and their continued generosity will help elevate our program,” Franklin said. “There’s a clear sense of excitement from our fans about where we’re headed. This unprecedented level of support is critical and creates powerful momentum for everything we’re building.”

Virginia Tech president Tim Sands also called the gift “timely” given the school’s recent plans for investment. In addition, he reiterated the goal is for the Hokies to compete for championships in all sports.

“We are deeply grateful for this extraordinary and timely gift,” Sands said. “Doing more with less, while a testament to the talent of our staff and student athletes, is no longer an option.

“Invest to Win is about winning championships. Excellence in athletics complements our academic mission, elevates our impact, and inspires the passion and generosity of Hokie Nation, as demonstrated by this record gift.”

Historic Virginia Tech gift builds ‘momentum’

Franklin’s hiring and the landmark budget approval mark a surge in investment for Virginia Tech Athletics. Through Invest To Win, the university announced a plan to build out a front office for football to oversee recruiting and talent development, while also investing further in Olympic sports.

At $229 million, the funds are to come from “operational and philanthropic sources,” the university announced. The $20 million gift marks an important step in the fundraising efforts. Additionally, it tops the $15.2 million gift to Virginia Tech athletics in 2017 for the largest in school history.

“This historic gift is a transformative moment for Virginia Tech and builds on our growing momentum to ‘Invest to Win,’” said athletics director Whit Babcock in a statement. “It empowers our student-athletes and coaches, enhances the resources needed to compete and succeed at the highest level, and reinforces our commitment to building championship-caliber programs and memorable experiences. We are deeply grateful for this powerful affirmation of our vision and our relentless pursuit of excellence.”