Lavine Family Makes Historic $10 Million Gift to Columbia Basketball

Columbia University Athletics is proud to announce a $10 million gift to men’s and women’s basketball from Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine and their family. The gift, one of the largest in the history of the Columbia Athletics program, provides support for both teams and endows the women’s head coaching position, now known as The Lavine Family Head Coach of Women’s Basketball. The support for the women’s team represents the single largest gift for women’s athletics at Columbia. 

The endowed coaching position is named in honor and recognition of the leadership and generosity of University Trustee Chair Emeritus Jonathan Lavine ’88CC, ’23HON, his wife and partner Jeannie Lavine ’23HON, and their family, daughters Allison Lavine ’16CC and Emily Lavine Rosin ’18CC and son-in-law Nathan Rosin ’18CC. Head Women’s Basketball Coach Megan Griffith ’07CC will assume the new title immediately.

“For decades, Jonathan and Jeannie Lavine’s extraordinary generosity and steadfast support have meaningfully touched nearly every corner of Columbia University,” said Acting President Claire Shipman. “We have benefited immeasurably from their combined giving and vast service to the University. This gift to Columbia Athletics is the latest example of their care for and belief in our University and community. For this and for all that they have done, we remain profoundly grateful.” 

“We are deeply grateful to the Lavine family for their incredibly generous gift, which comes at a vital time for our basketball programs,” said Peter Pilling, Columbia’s Campbell Family Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Physical Education. “We know how much Jonathan and Jeannie care about providing meaningful experiences for our student-athletes. This impactful gift will greatly enhance our ability to win Ivy League Championships and compete in NCAA Tournaments.” In total, the Lavines’ gift provides a base of perpetual funding for both varsity basketball programs, enhancing operations and addressing programmatic needs to continue building first-rate Ivy League and NCAA Division I basketball programs. It also comes as new head coach Kevin Hovde ushers in a promising new era, enabling the men’s program to gain renewed momentum alongside the women’s program, which, as the three-time defending Ivy League Champions, is working to stay at the top of The Ivy League.

“The Lavine Family Endowment is going to allow us to continue to operate as one of the best programs in the country,” said Griffith. “We talk about how we want to compete against the Power Four, on the court and in recruiting. This gift will help us continue to do that, retain staff and create long-term financial stability, which is so important in today’s climate of college athletics.” 

“We cannot thank Jonathan and Jeannie enough for their generosity and eagerness to invest in women,” Griffith continued. “I consider myself extremely fortunate to call them friends and am honored to have their names intertwined with my title at Columbia.” 

Now in her 10th year as head coach at her Alma Mater, Griffith is recognized as one of the top women’s basketball coaches in the nation. A three-time Ivy League Coach of the Year and two-time NYC metro area Coach of the Year, Griffith was a finalist for the 2025 WBCA Division I Coach of the Year Award after leading Columbia to its third straight Ivy League Championship and second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. 

Columbia Men’s Basketball is off to an outstanding 12-4 start in 2025-26, its first under Hovde, who last season won an NCAA title as an assistant coach with the Florida Gators. 

“Words can’t express how much Jonathan and Jeannie’s generosity means for Columbia Basketball,” said Hovde. “Their belief in the men’s program and the student-athletes who wear Columbia across their chests sends a powerful message about the future we are building. We are incredibly grateful for their support and excited about what this means for our program moving forward.”

Jonathan Lavine, a former varsity student-athlete on the men’s golf team, has fashioned a distinguished investment career since graduating from Columbia College in 1988, where he was elected Phi Beta Kappa and graduated magna cum laude. Currently the Chair of Bain Capital, a leading global private investment firm based in Boston, he joined the firm’s private equity group in 1993 and founded its Credit and Special Situations businesses in 1998. From 2005 - 2025, Lavine was part of the Boston Celtics’ ownership group.

“Our student-athletes represent not only the highest level of excellence on the court and the field, but—more importantly—the character, intellect, and discipline that define the very best of Columbia,” said Jonathan Lavine. “Our coaches play a critical role in ensuring that each student-athlete reaches their fullest potential throughout the entirety of their undergraduate experience.”

Jeannie Lavine is the Co-Founder and Trustee of the Crimson Lion/Lavine Family Foundation, an organization she and Jonathan established, which delivers financial resources to a wide variety of nonprofit organizations focused on leveling the playing field for individuals and families. She is a close partner to Jonathan in his various leadership roles at Columbia, for which they both received honorary degrees in 2023.

Jonathan is a 2017 recipient of the Alexander Hamilton Medal, Columbia College’s highest honor, awarded for distinguished service. He is a past recipient of Columbia’s John Jay Award for professional achievement, Columbia’s David Truman Award for outstanding contribution to academic affairs and Columbia/Barnard Hillel’s Seixas Award for his contributions to Jewish life on campus. Jonathan became a Trustee of Columbia University in 2011. In 2018, he was named Co-Chair together with Lisa Landau Carnoy ’89CC, a lifelong friend since they were student-athletes and leaders in undergraduate life. Jonathan subsequently became the sole Chair in 2022. 

The Lavine Family Head Coach of Women’s Basketball is the fifth named head coaching endowment at Columbia, joining the Patricia and Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football, the Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling, the Bidyut K. Goswami Head Coach of Men’s Tennis and the Kenneth W. Torrey Head Coach of Squash. Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine will be honored with a special ceremony at halftime of the Columbia Women’s Basketball game against Princeton on Friday, February 13, 2026. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU, as part of the Ivy League’s national TV package. 

Editor's note: This article was originally published by Columbia Athletics.