Collins Pledges $100,000 Gift

New York Giant cornerback Mark Collins, a former Cal State Fullerton standout, said Monday he has pledged “a little more than $100,000” to Fullerton’s $6.3-million fund-raising campaign to benefit the Titan Sports Complex and athletic department.

Collins, who has won two Super Bowl rings with the Giants, holds the Titan career record for interceptions with 20, set from 1982-85. Collins still maintains close contact with the football program and Coach Gene Murphy.

“I’ve been going to Fullerton every off-season since I got drafted to talk with Coach Murphy and the recruits,” said Collins, who had his Titan jersey (No. 5) retired last spring. “I don’t do these things for the publicity. I do them because I want to.”

The school is still hoping to land a multimillion-dollar donor, for whom the stadium or certain venues within the complex might be named, by this spring.

Collins is the third professional athlete to make a significant contribution to the campaign. Former Titan baseball players Tim Wallach and Jeff Robinson made $50,000 pledges last year.

School and fund raising officials will not reveal how much money has been pledged to date, but the figure is believed to be in the $600,000 range.

Collins, who owns a sporting goods store in Redlands, has the option of paying off the pledge over five years, but said, “I’ll probably give it to them in one lump sum because they need the money now.”