Koch & Carlisle Partnering with Sun Devil Women's Golf: The Perfect Pair
Sun Devil Athletics and its fundraising arm, the Sun Devil Club, take great pride in engaging with both members of the community as well as businesses in the community to support its 650+ student-athletes. In order to build and foster a culture of philanthropy, it’s crucial to have a support system that understands the importance of this unique form of charitable support.
The latest addition to those ranks is Carlisle Companies. A long-time supporter of Women’s Golf overall, they have recently upped their commitment to the sport, partnering with Sun Devil Women’s Golf and head coach Missy Farr-Kaye to support the program.
“Carlisle supports athletes who are not only committed to excellence and winning, but who embody Carlisle’s culture of integrity, continuous improvement and perseverance,” Carlisle Chair, President and CEO Chris Koch said. “We see these traits in the young women on ASU’s golf team – their record 8 national championships and Coach Missy Farr-Kaye’s role in the program’s success speaks for itself.”
Carlisle’s desire to support student-athletes goes beyond their success on the course, though, as the company is committed to fostering a diverse workplace of their own, a value that aligns not only with Sun Devil Athletics, but Arizona State University as a whole.
“As countless studies have shown, a diverse workplace drives better results. We believe that elevating the role of women in business is crucial for our sustained success and will support our goals of delivering another century of excellent results for our stakeholders,” Koch added. “We believe that female student athletes, with their background of resilience and focus on excellence, fit very well with a company like Carlisle because we always seek to be a better company.”
This guidepost and cultural commitment has been matched by the financial investment Carlisle has made not only with Sun Devil Women’s Golf, but also with professional women’s golf as a whole. In 2021, they partnered with the LPGA to launch the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic, an Epson Tour event. The event was held this past weekend and saw Sophomore Calynne Rosholt get the opportunity to compete against some of the best at Longbow in Mesa.
The ceiling on this relationship appears limitless, with both parties at the top of their respective industries and both aspiring for more.
“We think there are opportunities to partner to support organizations in the broader Phoenix community,” Koch concluded. “There might also be alignment for ASU golfers seeking careers in business. At this point, we are excited to have started the relationship and will continue to explore how best to maximize for everyone.”
Investments like this that go beyond the checkbook and involve the community as a whole are what make Sun Devil Nation so unique. This creative approach is how championship-caliber programs are not only created, but maintained and allowed to grow even further.
"We are excited to have Carlisle become a major contributor to our program and student athletes at Arizona State University,” Coach Missy Farr-Kaye said. “Carlisle aligns well with the vision and goals of the Sun Devil Women’s Golf Team in excellence and leadership. Together we will be able to accomplish great things!”