The new University of Iowa Children’s Hospital has received a pledge for $1 million from the Iowa Ladies Football Academy, according to a release.

The 2-year-old Academy is a fundraiser consisting of an "intensive one-day immersion in the Hawkeye football experience" for interested women who donate at least $500 to the hospital, the release said. The program reportedly raised more than $150,000 last year; registration is now open at iowaladiesfootballacademy.com for the 2012 edition of the academy, which is scheduled for June 9.

"This very generous $1 million commitment … gives us great momentum in our fundraising efforts for the new Children’s Hospital," said Jean Robillard, the UI vice president for Medical Affairs, in the release. "All the women taking part in this special event should know … they can be proud of their hard work off the field and be confident that their efforts will be a game changer in the lives of our pediatric patients and their family."

The hospital’s groundbreaking is scheduled for sometime this year, with completion slated for 2016. The building will be adjacent to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, rise 11 stories, and house operating rooms, support spaces, and 213 beds in 371,600 square feet of space.

"All of us involved with this project are grateful for the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of sick and injured children," Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz said in the release. "Mary [Ferentz’s wife and the chairwoman of the UI Children’s Hospital Council] and I and the entire Iowa football family have been enriched by the experience and are very proud to be a part of it."

— by Seth Roberts