Niagara College’s Athletics department is kicking off the 2026-2027 varsity season with a new fundraising initiative supporting Knights student-athletes.
As part of NC’s Together campaign, The Assist: You Pass, They Score is raising funds to support scholarships for student-athletes across all varsity sports at the College, including basketball, soccer, volleyball, curling and golf.
“Every year, we welcome about 120 student-athletes to our academic and varsity programs,” said Michele O’Keefe, NC’s Senior Director, Athletics and Student Engagement. “Athletic scholarships help attract and retain our Knights who contribute to a culture of excellence within our collegiate programs and who are a big part of ‘NC Life’ on campus.”
Student-athletes must balance their studies with their athletic commitments, demonstrating the discipline and determination needed to excel in both pursuits. Scholarships help alleviate some of the costs associated with a postsecondary education, allowing student-athletes to focus more on their studies and team commitments.
Approximately 80% of NC student-athletes are national scholars, an achievement awarded to individuals who complete the season with a GPA of 80 percent or higher in their respective programs.
For more information about The Assist, visit the Knights website.
Save the date for ‘Knights on Niagara Street’
To mark the launch of The Assist: You Pass, They Score, NC Athletics is hosting Knights on Niagara Street on Sunday, October 4 (time TBD) to raise funds for student-athlete scholarships.
NC’s varsity teams will take turns riding a MEGABike from the Welland Baseball Stadium, going south on Niagara St. to the Seaway Mall and returning to the stadium.
Knights participants are looking for pledges for their rides. All event proceeds will support student-athlete scholarships.
MT Bellies has partnered with the College and will serve as a hub for the event. The official cheering stand for Knights on Niagara Street will be located directly in front of the restaurant (871 Niagara St., Welland). A selection of NC Craft beverages will also be available for samples and purchase at the restaurant.
Watch GoKnights.ca for further details.
To support student-athletes, visit NC’s online donation page and complete the online donation form – choose “Student Athletics Fund” in the “I want to support” drop-down menu. Please specify in the comment box if you would like to direct your donation to a specific sport.
NC’s Together campaign
Making college education more accessible is a key priority for Niagara College, and a pillar of the Together campaign, which aims to expand scholarships and bursaries so that every student can access support.
In addition to empowering student success, the multi-year $50 million fundraising campaign is addressing the worker shortages in healthcare and trades, creating equitable and diverse learning environments, equipping graduates with cultural awareness and global competencies, and fostering research, creativity, and innovation to help close Canada’s productivity gap. Learn more at niagaracollege.ca/together.
