In a significant move to commemorate the profound impact of two of Portland State University's most cherished athletic figures, the university has announced the establishment of a pair of new endowments: the Mouse Davis Football Innovation Endowment and the Teri Mariani Women's Athletics Initiatives Endowment.
     
Erik Edmonds, Associate Athletic Director for Development, said this initiative aims to create sustainable funding for the university's athletic programs while honoring the legacies of these coaching legends.    
       
Edmonds expressed enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing the importance of creating permanent funding mechanisms. "Our goal is to enhance our teams and initiatives in perpetuity," he said. "These endowments are not just about honoring past achievements, but also about driving future success for our student-athletes."
       
Darrel "Mouse" Davis is revered for his revolutionary contributions to football, particularly during his tenure as Head Coach at Portland State from 1975-80. He introduced the innovative run-and-shoot offense, transforming the game and propelling the Vikings to record-breaking seasons. Davis's pioneering spirit has left an indelible mark not only on Portland State's program but also on football as a whole.
     
In recognition of his extensive contributions, the Mouse Davis Football Innovation Endowment will provide annual funding for the football program, ensuring that his legacy continues to inspire future generations.
     
The fundraising goal for this initiative is $1.2 million, with plans to unveil a monument honoring Davis at a special event on November 14, 2025 involving a football alumni gathering.
      
Similarly, Teri Mariani's impact on women's athletics at Portland State over her decades-long career is immeasurable. As a former student-athlete, coach and administrator, Mariani has influenced countless young women, fostering their growth and development in sports.
     
The Teri Mariani Women's Athletics Initiatives Endowment aims to provide unrestricted funding for women's teams at PSU. This initiative has a goal of raising $600,000, with an unveiling event planned for February 2026.
     
Edmonds noted, "Whether as a coach or mentor, Teri's leadership has positively affected generations of student-athletes. She continues to inspire women in athletics today."
      
These endowments will be different from the usual athletic fund-raising projects.
      
"Most of athletics fundraising is annual, meaning money is donated and spent that year.  The Athletics department has endowments, but they're mostly for scholarships.  We wanted to establish the first of their kind with Viking Athletics fund endowments, so that a permanent funding mechanism enhances teams and funds in perpetuity," said Edmonds.   
     
The fundraising initiatives not only seek one-time donations but also aim for sustainable support to enhance scholarships and pave the way for lasting contributions to Portland State's athletic programs. Donations can be made up to five years. The university is actively engaging the community and alumni in these efforts, encouraging participation in honoring both Davis and Mariani.
     
Edmonds credited football alumni John Heiser, MD, an emergency room physician at Providence St. Vincent for 31 years and currently medical director for Yamhill County fire departments, with the initial idea for the endowments.
     
"My wife and I had previously donated to Portland State and I thought it would be great this time to donate in honor of Mouse Davis and what he did for his players. I mentioned the idea to Erik and he took it from there. My goal is to provide continuing financial support for the PSU football team," said Heiser, a Viking linebacker from 1978-1981.
      
Davis "inspired his players to be the best they could be.  He was loved by everyone who knew him and was one of the people who made me who I am today," Heiser said.
      
The "run and shoot" offense "was unlike anything else at the time. It caught teams off guard and they had a hard time defending it. That is why we had some high-scoring games. We scored 93 & 105 points in 2 different games my junior year. It was hard for the defense, though, as we did not run much time off the clock whether we scored or not. It didn't give the defense much time to rest," Heiser said ruefully.
     
The endowment would help further Davis' ideals.  It would support ongoing initiatives that foster innovation in football at PSU.  It would support the latest in equipment, state-of-the-art technology and enhance the experience of PSU football players, ensuring the principles of creativity and forward-thinking that Davis championed continue to thrive, according to Edmonds.
    
Mariani is being honored for her role as PSU long-time women's softball coach as well as the inspiration she provided others at PSU to challenge boundaries and set new standards for success. She also held administrative positions, including PSU Interim Director of Athletics prior to her retirement.
   
"Teri Mariani is a prime example of such a leader.  Her remarkable contributions to women's athletics have profoundly shaped the institution and created an environment where female student-athletes thrive both academically and athletically. As a Hall-of-Fame player (she also played softball, volleyball and basketball for PSU as a student-athlete), coach and advocate for women in sports, Teri's leadership has left a lasting legacy at PSU, one that continues to inspire future generations of athletes and coaches," said Edmonds.
   
This initiative will honor her significant impact on women's sports and provide critical support for future generations of female student-athletes, continuing Teri's legacy of leadership, academic success and equity in women's athletics, he added.   
     
"Coach Mariani is the architect of the PSU softball program. It's hard to put into words how lucky we are to still have her so closely connected to the program," said Meadow McWhorter, the current softball head coach.
    
Mariani's time at PSU coincided with the rapid growth of women's collegiate sports, the result of Title IX, which mandated equivalence in collegiate men's and women's sports.
    
"It was exciting to see the growth in women's athletics and, of course, especially softball. Things opened up for coaching jobs, scholarships for women, travel and competitive opportunities that just got better as years went on," said Mariani, who added that she was "very humbled and honored to have this named after me."
    
There were struggles at PSU…"baby steps initially, but there were improvements and progress every year. Things were headed in the right direction, which is one of the reasons I stayed coaching at PSU for 29 years (where she compiled the most wins of any coach in any sport).  It has always been important to me to support women's athletics and, as funding gets tighter, it's even more important now.  To have this endowment available every year warms my heart and I'm very thankful to those who were behind making this happen."
     
Edmonds is announcing these new endowments in June of 2025 and hopes to have half the Mouse Davis funds raised by next November.  By early June, he said $300,000 had already been pledged to the Mouse Davis Endowment, $70,000 to the one honoring Teri Mariani.
        
Furthermore, an anonymous donor has pledged $58,000 to match each dollar raised for the Mariani endowment and possibly more once that amount has been matched.
        
The funds also will be used to place permanent kiosks in the Stott Center foyer. The Mouse Davis kiosk is fully paid and Edmonds said he was still seeking $39,000 for the one honoring Mariani. 
      
As Portland State continues to celebrate its rich athletic history, these endowments will solidify the university's commitment to innovation and excellence in athletics, ensuring that the legacies of Mouse Davis and Teri Mariani will forever resonate within the PSU community.