United Wholesale Mortgage sponsors MSU basketball and football players

UWM to sponsor 133 MSU athletes for 2021/2022 season

Pontiac, September 8, 2021 – United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM), the No. 1 wholesale mortgage lender in the country for six consecutive years and recognized as a best place to work in metro Detroit, today announced it is sponsoring all 133 Michigan State University student athletes on the men’s basketball and football teams for the 2021/2022 season.

The sponsorship will provide athletes, regardless of position, with $500 per month stipend for a full year, totaling $6,000 for every player.

“The Spartan family sticks together, and that’s what makes MSU athletics so special,” said Mat Ishbia, president and CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage. “Each player contributes to the team in a positive way and we’re excited to help support them, while also helping educate consumers about the benefits of independent mortgage brokers.”

Ishbia is a former walk-on Michigan State basketball player on the 2000 national championship winning team. His experience with MSU athletics helped shape the team-focused business approach and leadership style at UWM, where values such as working hard, accountability, having fun and giving back are part of everyday culture. UWM currently employs several former MSU athletes, including Mateen Cleaves, Charlie Bell and Adam Wolfe, all of whom were on the 2000 national championship team with Ishbia.

“I was a star athlete and having access to resources like this would have made a huge difference in my career in a very positive way,” said Mateen Cleaves, former MSU point guard and national champion, and current leadership coach at UWM. “What UWM is doing for these Spartan athletes is unprecedented, and aligns closely with what Coach Izzo and MSU taught us, which is to always take care of our family.”

In February of 2021, Ishbia donated a separate $32 million to MSU’s athletic program, the largest single cash commitment in MSU’s history from an individual. Funds from this donation are being used for the Men’s Basketball Excellence Fund, the MSU football program, a Spartan for Life Fund, focused on leadership and career development, and a MSU Athletics Excellence Fund, which provides flexible and unrestricted resources.