GONZAGA LOVE RUNS DEEP Gonzaga is many things to Ron and Terri Caferro. It’s an alma mater. It’s a point of great pride. It’s a legacy that’s continued with their children and now grandchildren. But, most of all, it’s a family they’ve been a part of for 60 years. And they have no intention of changing that anytime soon.
They’ve been fantastic benefactors to not just the basketball program, but also the baseball program, which has stolen their hearts over the last decade.
“Gonzaga is just like a huge family, and it’s so great for Spokane,” Terri said. “I look around here in Spokane and there are so many people that love Gonzaga basketball, and not just the men’s team. The women’s team has built an amazing following, and the support they both receive away from home is just as amazing.”
The Caferros have been drawn to the baseball program not only with the success the team has had on the field, but also the type of people that make up the team and coaching staff off the field. Each Year, the Caferros pick a roadtrip to follow the baseball team and join them for a postgame team dinner that almost always turns into one of their favorite nights of the season. It’s come to the point where they feel like the 35 players on the roster have become like their own sons.
Their love for Gonzaga Athletics runs deep and dates all the way back to when Ron was a freshman in 1957. He started following the basketball and baseball teams and instantly became a fan. The couple has been basketball season ticket holders since 1962 upon Ron’s graduation from GU, and their fanhood and support for the entire Athletic Department has only grown over time.
“The Caferros are beautiful people and have been great friends and supporters of the program,” baseball head coach Mark Machtolf said. “The dinner that we do together is a great release for the guys in the middle of the season, and it’s also a highlight of their year and career. Former players love to talk about it when they come back, we just have a lot of fun with it.”
Nowadays, the Caferros make a habit of following the men’s basketball team throughout the country, making it to as many away games as possible and definitely all of the home games.
As one can see, the deep love runs both ways. Whether it is baseball, basketball or any one of Gonzaga’s athletic programs, the family feel is always there.
“We have some great memories of Gonzaga basketball, thinking all the way back to Frank Burgess. He raised the level of basketball for Gonzaga. When I was a freshman in ’57, there was some great guys on those teams, and I still get to see some of them to this day.” — RON CAFERRO
2017–18 ANNUAL REPORT
“Our big highlights are the Gonzaga trips, whether it’s the basketball games, or the baseball games, we just so look forward to it,” Terri said.
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