Joe Harasymiak opened Friday’s press conference with news the University announced the day before and it’s clear the UMass head coach is as excited and grateful for it as anybody.
As announced last week, Dan and Diane Riccio have committed $3 million to the Script U Scholarship Society to support the UMass Football program. Harasymiak spent the first minutes of his availability talking about the gift and what it says about where the Minutemen are headed.
Harasymiak said he first met Dan Riccio on a Zoom call last January and again in person later in the winter.
“His energy, his love for this place, UMass in general, is unbelievable,” Harasymiak said. “It’s passionate when you meet him, it comes out.
“I couldn’t be more thankful for his belief in this program and our chancellor (Javier Reyes) and (AD) Ryan (Bamford) and ultimately how Football can be the driver for the university brand.”
The gift goes to Script U, the fundraising initiative the department launched in 2025 to support student-athlete scholarships and additional financial benefits. Because the commitment funds scholarships, Harasymiak said it frees up scholarship dollars the department can instead use for revenue sharing.
Harasymiak said the second largest cash gift in department history is the kind that is required in today’s world of college athletics.
“I think this landscape of college football, it’s extremely necessary,” Harasymiak said.
For the head coach, the on-field benefits translate to recruiting and retention. The additional dollars should allow UMass to recruit a higher caliber of athlete while also giving the Minutemen better chances to keep the best players already on the roster.
“We get to view different players in a range that maybe we’ve never been,” Harasymiak said.
Timing is the other half of it. UMass is on a four-game losing streak, but it came on the heels of a four-game winning streak that made a tangible difference in Amherst in September and October. The team is still fighting for bowl eligibility and is one win away from the most wins in a season since the program moved up to the FBS level. Harasymiak sees the commitment as proof the pieces are finally lining up at the same time.
“We have alignment, we have investment, we have excitement,” Harasymiak said. “Yes, the last four weeks haven’t gone that way, but perspective to me is everything.
“This is the moment, though. I think this is really the pivotal moment.”
It comes back to belief for Harasymiak.
Riccio, a former leader at Apple who has also given $50 million to the College of Engineering and $15 million to UMass Chan Medical School, built his career by believing in people before there was proof. Harasymiak said that is exactly what the Riccios are doing with his program.
“Belief is a really easy thing to say, but it’s really hard to do because usually when you believe in something, you haven’t seen it yet,” Harasymiak said.
“If anyone knows his life story, that’s him. He had to overcome and believe in himself and believe in the people around him and create a team that can excel. And I think he sees that in us and I’m just excited to be on his team now.”You can support Dallas’ fight via the GoFundMe page his family has set up.
Your one-stop-shop for all your sports marketing needs… Owned and Operated by UMASS Grads.
We specialize in providing top-quality marketing & printing services for coaches, athletic directors, and sports marketing professionals.
Get Fan Ready!