CWRU Athletics

Frank Rudy studied mechanical and aeronautical engineering at the Case Institute of Technology, before inventing the "Air Sole" in 1978, which became Nike's ticket into sporting dominance, transforming the athletic shoe into a must-have technological marvel.  The Air Sole spurred Nike's success on the track, on the field, and on the court. Using Rudy's Air Sole as their launch pad, Nike has grown into a $34.4 billion per year athletic apparel giant.  In respect to Frank Rudy's impact on CWRU and its athletics, in 1999 Frank and his wife, Margaret, donated $2 million to the Case School of Engineering, creating a chair named for the Rudy Family.  In 2014, after Frank's death, Margaret and the Rudys' daughter, Kim McMahon, along with Nike, orchestrated a gift of $400,000 worth of uniforms and shoes to CWRU athletics in Frank's name.  In May 2018 Kim donated $1,900,000 to CWRU athletics for the M. Frank Rudy and Margaret Domiter Rudy Athletic Endowment, which will purchase uniforms and shoes for all varsity athletes in perpetuity.  The overall impact Frank Rudy has had on the international sports world, as well as his alma mater, is beyond compare.