Will and Renee Moon donate $10 million to Iowa athletics

IOWA CITY - Longtime donors and owners of the World's Largest Truckstop on I-80, Will and Renee Moon, gifted the Iowa football program $10 million.

The donation creates an endowment fund of $5 million for the head coaching position, which will now be referred to as the Moon Family Head Football Coach.

'Whether it's a $50 gift, $500, $5 million gift, we are just so grateful,” athletics director Gary Barta said during a news conference on Monday.

In a release from the university, Barta noted Will and Renee 'understand the importance of private contributions to Hawkeye athletics, and even more so during the challenging times related to the pandemic.” By creating the endowment, he said, the couple is providing a way to support Hawkeye football 'forever.”

Also included in the donation is $3 million to establish the Will and Renee Moon Excellence Fund, which will support football and other athletics initiatives determined by the athletics director.

The remaining $2 million will support the Kinnick Edge Campaign, which revitalized Kinnick Stadium's north end zone seating and concourse.

'I have learned in the past few days that it sounds like Will and Renee's relationship kind of began over an Iowa football game,” Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said. 'It's been a real pleasure to know them. Both of them are extremely accomplished at what they do in their professions, and their interests, their support of our program, division and the generosity, they're putting forward it's just, it's just so helpful to us.”

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