Thunderstorms didn’t stop Chris Del Conte and University of Texas Baseball from celebrating the beginning of work on the student-athlete player development center for Texas Baseball. Jason McMinn, and wife Heather McMinn, as well as Justin McMinn with wife Kendall Beard McMinn, attended the groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of building construction.
The building, titled the J. Dan Brown Family Development, will help student athletes succeed on and off the field.
Wednesday the University of Texas athletic department made the announcement that Jason McMinn, Justin McMinn, and family pledged a $1 million donation that will go towards the baseball program’s planned player development facility.
Brothers Jason McMinn and Justin McMinn, as well as their wives Heather McMinn and Kendall Beard McMinn are all avid supporters of the Longhorn Baseball program under Coach David Pierce.
The donation from the McMinns will help Texas create an on-site player development facility for baseball. Construction is expected to get underway in the next couple of months. This donation will make Texas the final program in the Big 12 Conference to have an on-site facility of this kind.
“The McMinns are some of the most passionate fans and supporters of our baseball program and of Texas athletics,” said athletics director and Vice President Chris Del Conte. “This incredibly generous gift, which will undoubtedly help our baseball program to thrive going forward, only further exemplifies their commitment and dedication to Texas.”
The McMinns have been suiteholders since 2009.
“We’re huge baseball fans,” Jason said. “We go to all the games and we love the baseball team, the baseball program. You know, you’re a student-athlete but you’re a student first and often times you end up going pro in something else. It’s nice to give back to what enabled Justin and I to go ‘pro’ practicing law. Without a degree from The University of Texas and the doors that it opened, I doubt any of this would’ve been possible for us.”
