Powering UND Athletics

When the North Dakota Champions Club was established as the Big Green Club in 1991, potential members could trade commodities for memberships.

“Farmers, especially in the Park River/Hoople (N.D.) area, would donate truckloads of potatoes. We’d cash them in for the money to fund student-athlete scholarships, and award them a Champions Club membership – like a trade,” said Val (Sannes) Sussex, ’08, ’11, Director of the Champions Club.

Today, the Champions Club – under the umbrella of the UND Alumni Association & Foundation (UNDAAF) – is the largest private annual gift revenue source for UND Athletics. Its 3,612 members gave $4 million this year, with $3.2 million going directly to student-athlete scholarships.

“Every single Champions Club member is important,” Val said. “From the $100 member up to the $50,000 member, we couldn’t do what we do without all 3,612 of them. Every gift counts; every member matters. We all come together to support the greater good, which is UND Athletics.”

Gifts in Action

The experience of Jack Teiken, an athlete on the UND Football team, reflects the Champions Club’s tagline, “Champions in the classroom, community, and competition.” Recruited by 10 colleges out of high school from Moorhead, Minnesota, Jack chose UND for its strong sense of family. “The biggest thing I’ve found here is the genuine desire for everyone around you to see you succeed – not just in football, but in every aspect of life,” he said.

With Champions Club support, Jack has excelled academically, gained experience through summer internships, and built relationships beyond athletics. “I’m incredibly thankful for the resources and opportunities the Champions Club provides. It’s opened so many doors for me,” he said.

Next fall, Jack will continue his football career while pursuing a master’s in athletic administration and coaching.

Helping the U

UND’s proud tradition of supporting student-athletes began with the Flickertail Club in 1925, established to encourage North Dakota high school athletes to stay in-state and build a new football venue. The University’s first capital campaign, “Help the U that is helping you,” funded the 8,000-seat Memorial Stadium, which opened in 1927.

To this day, scholarships and student-athlete support remain the Champions Club’s primary focus.

Leading from Experience

As a UND basketball player from 2003 to 2008, Val Sussex knows the importance of scholarships. “I came from a middle-income family. Sports enabled my siblings and me to get our education.”

After coaching women’s basketball at the University of Minnesota Crookston and UND, Val joined the UNDAAF in 2014. “I’ve transitioned from being a student-athlete on scholarship to a coach recruiting kids with scholarships, and now to recruiting donors to fund scholarships. It makes it easy to share our story,” she said.

Val draws on lessons from her athletic career. “I learned that the team is always bigger than one person,” she said. “We have a great team at the Foundation, a great team at Athletics, and great teammates at the Ralph. We’ve built trust because we’re all working toward the same cause. Without the collaboration and partnerships, the Champions Club wouldn't be as robust as it is.”

Membership Benefits

The 10 Champions Club membership levels range from Young Alumni ($50/year) to Legend ($50,000/year). Members earn points based on their membership level and are rewarded with perks like access to season tickets and single-game ticket presales, event invitations, and parking.

MVP gifts, which Val describes as “a tip on top of your membership” provide additional funding for student-athlete scholarships. MVP gifts also support the 701 Award, an earned academic award that offers student-athletes a financial opportunity to attend and stay at UND.

Tees, Tailgates, and Togetherness

The Champions Club hosts about 35 events each year, bringing club members together with UND coaches, staff, and student-athletes. During the athletics seasons, tailgates and pregame parties fuel school spirit, while off-season events like the Champions Golf Tour and the North Dakota Champions Ball help maintain momentum.  

The golf tour makes stops in Park River, Fargo, and Bismarck in North Dakota, and Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. The Champions Ball, UND Athletics’ largest single fundraiser, drew more than 800 attendees in 2024. With 160 silent and live auction items, the biennial event raised a record $452,924 to directly benefit student-athletes.

“These events remind everyone why we do what we do and who we support – our student-athletes,” said Val, again emphasizing the Champions Club mission to create champions in the classroom, community, and in competition.