2016 Rally in the Valley Nets Record $260,000

The eighth annual Panther Rally in the Valley "A Purple Tie Affair" was a record-setting event Saturday night that featured the return to campus of NFL running back and UNI's own David Johnson.

The 2016 Rally in the Valley was a record-breaking experience in the McLeod Center with new marks set in attendance (630) and total dollars raised ($260,000).

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"The Rally in the Valley has grown each and every year as we continue to get more friends of UNI Athletics involved," Director of the PSC Kerry Dickerson said. "We want this event to be special and give our fans and friends a chance to give back. The opportunity to have David Johnson back on our campus was at the top of our list and he came through because of his love for UNI. This place is pretty special and having alumni get involved shows the importance of this event and how we are able to raise funds for student-athlete scholarships."

The night began at 5 p.m. with a silent auction on the McLeod Center concourse. Complimentary beverages and hors d'oeuvres were served for guests until the silent auctions closed at 7 p.m.

Guests then made their way to the McLeod Center floor for a gourmet dinner prepared by Hy-Vee. Guests were treated to a chopped farmer's market vegetable salad, a dual entrée that included herb roasted chicken and seared top sirloin along with mashed potatoes, snap pea pods and carrots. The dessert options featured mini cupcakes, mini fruit tartlets, mini berry cobblers and lavender truffles.

The main event of the dinner program was an interview with David Johnson conducted by the night's emcee Eric Braley. The interview began with a highlight video from Johnson's rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals, where he scored 13 touchdowns in the regular season (eight rushing, four receiving and one kick return).

The night came to a close with 15 live auction items. Jodi L. Sweeney, from Sweeney Auctioneer Service, worked as the auctioneer for the event. The live auction items raised $125,000. The highest auction items came with the La Buscadora yacht trip donated by Tom and Maureen Porth and the Casas de Las Brisas trip to Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, donated by David and Holly Wilson. The trips each went for $26,000.

"The Rally in the Valley continues to be the signature event for UNI Athletics and the Panther Scholarship Club," Dickerson said. "The McLeod Center is a tremendous venue for this event. We are already looking forward to next year and shattering more marks as we continue to support our tremendous student-athletes."

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