UCLA Receives $40 Million Donation From The Estate Of Alumnus; $17.3 Million Going To Football, Basketball Programs

CBS Los Angeles

January 14, 2026

UCLA has received a donation of more than $40 million from the estate of late alumnus Lawrence "Larry" Layne, who graduated from the school in the 1970s. The largest amount of the gift will go towards the school's athletic program, namely the football and men's basketball programs.

School officials said that Layne received his MBA from UCLA in 1977. During his time as a Bruin played for the school's rugby team, helping win the 1975 National Rugby Championships and eventually being inducted into the UCLA Rugby Hall of Fame in 2007. He was also the first head coach of the university's women's rugby team in 1979.

The largest portion of the donation is allocated to UCLA's Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, with $17.3 million intended to support several of its programs. The football program will receive $9.6 million, while the men's basketball program will receive $7.7 million and the rugby program will receive $3.8 million. The school said that money will be used to help with programming and services to enhance the mental health of student-athletes.

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