The Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), L.A.’s newest professional sports team, has contributed $100,000 to support athletics programs at Cal State LA.

The gift is “a symbol of our deep investment in the city,” said LAFC President Tom Penn. “We are committed to being a team, which embraces and supports the neighborhoods where we work and play. Cal State LA exemplifies this spirit of dedication to the people of Los Angeles.”

LAFC’s gift will enhance the experience of Cal State LA student athletes by improving facilities and support for players.

Cal State LA President William A. Covino said the university “looks forward to embracing the energy and excitement of the LAFC to build new opportunities for students in the heart of Los Angeles.”

Daryl Gross, Cal State LA’s executive director for athletics, also praised LAFC as an organization with high aspirations shared with the university.

“Cal State LA has big ambitions for our student athletes; and the LAFC knows how to think big and succeed,” he said.

Photo: Left to right, Nikki Mark, executive director, LAFC Academy; William A. Covino, president, Cal State LA; Tom Penn, president, LAFC; and John Thorrington, executive vice president of soccer operations, LAFC. (Credit: J. Emilio Flores/Cal State LA)

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Cal State LA is a university dedicated to engagement, service, and the public good. Founded in 1947, the University serves more than 27,000 students and 247,000 distinguished alumni, who are as diverse as the city we serve. Located in the heart of Los Angeles, Cal State LA has long been recognized as an engine of economic and social mobility. Led by an award-winning faculty, the University offers nationally recognized programs in science, the arts, business, criminal justice, engineering, nursing, education and the humanities.

Cal State LA is home to the critically-acclaimed Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, Hertzberg-Davis Forensic Science Center, Hydrogen Research and Fueling Facility, Billie Jean King Sports Complex, TV, Film and Media Center and the Center for Engagement, Service, and the Public Good. For more information, visit www.CalStateLA.edu.

09/14/16