AMHERST, Mass. – UMass Athletics announced a leadership level gift by Dr. Kathy Coyner '01 to support the women's basketball program - the largest gift in program history. 

"This gift is to give credit to and thank UMass and the women's basketball program for the incredible impact they have had on my life," said Dr. Coyner. "My foundation was built in the classroom and on the court competing at UMass. As a female student-athlete from 1997-2001 I benefited from Title IX immensely, so I am honored to pay it forward to the next generation."

A starting point guard and two-time team captain on the UMass women' basketball team, Dr. Coyner was the second player ever to score 1,000 points and total more than 500 assists in her career.  She also holds top-10 rankings in 30 different categories and was named to the Atlantic-10 Legends Class of 2017.  

"I want to acknowledge Kathy for her generous investment and continued support of our women's basketball program," said Director of Athletics Ryan Bamford.  "In highlighting our renowned history of women's athletics at UMass as part of our Flagship 50 Campaign, Kathy is a shining example of an alumna who contributed significantly in her time as a student-athlete and has now built a tremendous professional career as a highly-respected orthopedic surgeon. We have great pride in her accomplishments and are particularly grateful for her ongoing investment in the experience of current and future Minutewomen."  

Dr. Coyner's gift aligns directly with the Flagship 50 Campaign which aims to recognize 50 years of UMass Athletics history and success from when the Title IX law was passed to today. Flagship 50 has allowed alumni, fans and former student-athletes to make gifts that directly touch the lives of UMass female student-athletes.

"Kathy has been supportive and connected to the program since the day that she graduated," said women's basketball head coach Tory Verdi. "She was one of the first alumnae to reach out when I arrived in Amherst and has been a driving force in helping with our competitive success."

Dr. Coyner graduated from UMass with a B.S. from the College of Natural Sciences in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology. She then earned an M.D. from Northeastern Ohio Medical University. She completed her residency in orthopedic surgery at William Beaumont Hospital and performed a fellowship in sports medicine at Duke University Medical Center. Dr. Coyner has continued her education and will receive her MBA from the Isenberg School of Management in the Spring of 2023. 

Dr. Coyner is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and holds an additional subspecialty certification in Orthopedic Sports Medicine.  She is a key physician at UConn's Musculoskeletal Institute and Sports Medicine Program.  She serves as the Associate Sports Medicine Fellowship Director at UConn Health and is a UConn team physician providing coverage at numerous collegiate sporting events. She previously served as the team doctor for the WNBA's Connecticut Sun and the NHL's Dallas Stars. Dr. Coyner specializes in advanced treatment and surgical options for patients with a wide range of sports-related injuries and conditions of the shoulder, hip and knee.

For more information on supporting women's basketball or the Flagship 50 Campaign, please contact David Biancamano, Deputy Athletic Director, at david.biancamano@umass.edu.

This story was originally published by UMass Athletics.