Former Winona State University championship football coach, Madeo "Moon" Molinari, and his wife Rosemary, present an annual scholarship to WSU football players.
The Madeo and Rosemary Molinari Scholarship presents upperclassmen football players with a $500 scholarship if they are working toward a degree at WSU, in good standing with the community, maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.75, and are selected by the Molinari selection committee.
"The Moon Molinari Scholarship awards players who fit the Molinari mold, which represents an overall good guy and hard worker on and off the field," said Dan Schumacher, director of athletic development. "Moon is an old-school, straight-laced good guy who truly wants to help these players with their education and award them for stellar efforts on the field."
Established in 1998, the Molinari endowment began at $5,000. With the financial support of former WSU football players, like Bernie Kennedy, it reached $60,000 in early March.
"The world of college football is different than when I played because the culture is different. The division is larger and now that WSU is in Division II, everything is ultra competitive," said Bernie Kennedy, member of the 1964 WSU championship football team led by Molinari. "Molinari has had a life-long impact on me as a mentor and a championship coach, and now he's making an impact on countless other athletes."
Schumacher attributes part of the scholarship's growth over the past seven years to Kennedy's involvement in writing former players asking for their contributions to the Molinari football scholarship.
"Kennedy is a key ingredient in receiving financial support from alumni athletes," said Schumacher. "These scholarships are a substantial help to its recipients."
Molinari came to WSU in 1956 and coached the WSU football team for more than 25 years. He won a football championship in 1964 and was the all-time wins leader until Tom Sawyer, WSU's current football coach, earned the title in 2004.
Next fall, WSU celebrates 100 years of football and honors Molinari as one of eight living former WSU football coaches.
"After 25 years of coaching, Moon is still endlessly supportive of WSU and its football program, which is apparent in this tremendous scholarship he created seven years ago," said Schumacher.
"He's still contributing to the program, attending reunions and wanting the best for WSU student athletes."
Currently, 12-15 players receive $500 Molinari scholarships. A committee of coaches, WSU's athletic director, Molinari and WSU administration select the scholarship recipients.
"We're putting scholarship fundraising into higher gear and we're hoping it grows and doubles," said Molinari. "When I was coaching football there were zero scholarships, which is why it's important for me to reward the guys who practice hard and are good kids, regardless if they're last string or the biggest star."
The Molinari scholarship is consistent with WSU's Winona Experience plan, which encompasses a culture of philanthropy in its vision, said Schumacher. |
