Mike & Shannon Larrabee

Meet the Larrabees

Mike and Shannon Larrabee sparked an unexpected yet everlasting support of Cal Poly Athletics at a Mustang football game in 1991. The newly wed Chico State graduate couple had recently moved to Santa Maria to help manage the Larrabee family's beer distributorship and donated one keg of beer to a Cal Poly Football tailgate. Each year, their donation grew until they were donating 40 kegs to the newly established and successful Stampede Club we know today.

The Larrabees were immediately drawn to the energy at the football games, often driving late nights back and forth from Santa Maria to support. Spending time in SLO became such a regular occurrence they finally moved downtown to be closer to the action. Ever since, they've been hooked on Cal Poly sports. A love for the football games evolved into an interest in spectating other sports and falling in love with new athletic teams on campus.

"We have absolutely loved being a part of Cal Poly Athletics. The games are our favorite entertainment throughout the year. We've traditionally loved football, but opening ourselves to the entire athletic department has given us the opportunity to discover other teams we now love watching, like volleyball." -Shannon Larrabee

Giving Back

A few years back, the Larrabees overheard fellow Cal Poly indoor volleyball fans buzzing about the new beach volleyball team's potential for an NCAA Championship. They ventured to Pismo Beach to watch the squad compete and had a blast, noting that even if you don't know anything about the sport, it's very fun to watch.

Mike and Shannon wanted to help the team succeed, so they chose to commit to funding a scholarship. Their scholarship was awarded to a freshman Psychology major named Macy Gordon. They attend all her local games and enjoy rooting her on from the sidelines as her adopted California family since her parents are out of state and cannot make every game.

The Larrabees have greatly enjoyed witnessing Macy's development both athletically and academically as a student-athlete. As a former therapist, Shannon notes it has been a treat to watch Macy evolve in her Psychology career. The Larrabees love playing a part in creating a future for a student-athlete beyond collegiate sports.

"Watching Macy grow has been a bright spot in both our lives. Rather than donating money and not knowing where it's being used, it's really neat to see it benefit one particular student-athlete who we've been able to follow throughout her athletic career. Getting to know her and watching her develop has been really fun for us."
-Shannon Larrabee

Creating a Better Future

Building a successful future for these student-athletes starts with those who are able to support, no matter how small. Mike and Shannon note that the SLO community needs to be a welcoming place for student-athletes of all backgrounds.

The Larrabees encourage others who consider supporting Cal Poly Athletics to ask themselves, "What tugs at your heart?" Some like to focus on one particular student-athlete and watch them grow throughout their career. Others are interested in seeing a facility project through or giving to the nutrition programs. Each form of support sets these student-athletes up for a successful tenure at Cal Poly and beyond.

"We'll never know the pride and joy of having our own children, but watching Macy grow has given us some of that happiness. We've been so fortunate to assist a student-athlete in following her dreams, both academically and athletically. Being a student alone is hard enough as it is, so supporting our athletes is both essential and a true joy. This community needs to show these student-athletes we care about them and want to see them become achieving adults." -Shannon Larrabee

To make a donation to the Beach Volleyball Program, click on the link here. Or to learn more about sponsoring a student-athlete, contact Ashley Offermann, Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development, at aofferma@calpoly.edu.