Gift will support student-athletes in a program that has grown under Coach Matt Dougherty
PAUL SMITHS, N.Y. – Tim Ranzetta has given $300,000 to support Paul Smith’s College Nordic and its student-athletes. The gift comes as the program continues to grow under coach Matt Dougherty, whose team Ranzetta has followed closely in recent years.
“What Matt is building at Paul Smith’ College is special,” said Tim Ranzetta. “The results matter, of course, but what really stands out to me is how he develops his athletes and the culture he’s created around the team. I wanted to invest in that, because I believe the impact of a great coach reaches well beyond the finish line.”
Ranzetta has supported the team in other ways as well. He helped initiate and fund the feature-length documentary Coach Matt and the Outdoor ‘Cats, which follows Dougherty and the Bobcats through nearly two years of training and competition.
The gift honors Bob Axtell ’53, who formerly coached the Paul Smith’s College Nordic team and supported Dougherty after he became head coach. Axtell helped shape the approach to mentorship that Dougherty now brings to his work with Paul Smith’s student-athletes.
“There’s a long tradition of Nordic skiing here at Paul Smith’s College, and we’re proud to be building the next chapter of it. Bob Axtell is part of that history, and the lessons he passed along continue to shape this program,” said Coach Matt Dougherty. “Tim’s gift helps our athletes build on that foundation and create something of their own. We are incredibly thankful for his support.”
Ranzetta’s gift joins a growing number of private commitments to Paul Smith’s College this year, including support for student spaces, hospitality education, and the College’s broader Bold Path Forward initiative.
Media Contact:
Ben Brosseau, Director of Communications, Paul Smith’s College
bbrosseau2@paulsmiths.edu, 518-327-6031
About Paul Smith’s College:
At Paul Smith’s College, it’s about the experience. As the only four-year institution of higher education located in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York, Paul Smith’s provides real-world, hands-on learning in fields such as business and hospitality, culinary management, forestry, environmental sciences, and natural resources. We can draw on industries and resources available in our backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. Our community of resourceful, enterprising, supportive, and adventurous individuals collectively provides experiential education, student support in the classroom and beyond, and meaningful opportunities for our alumni. We pride ourselves on research and advocacy on issues that improve our planet and the lives of the people who inhabit it. Learn more at www.paulsmiths.edu.
