New Indoor Practice Center is Latest Major Investment in Athletics Program
2/26/2013 4:13:00 PM | Football
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Syracuse University will continue designing and begin construction on one of the premiere collegiate athletics indoor practice centers in the nation, Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross announced today. Construction is expected to begin later this year. The state-of-the-art, $17 million planned center will continue to move Syracuse Athletics forward as New York's College Team, providing essential and transformational amenities needed to compete for championships in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The 87,000 square foot building will provide the football program with an innovative and modern practice environment, enhance recruiting efforts, and help develop the best and brightest student-athletes from across the nation. While the football program will be the main tenant of the new center, all Syracuse Athletics programs will have access and use of the center to better develop student-athlete performance and provide a student-athlete experience at Syracuse University second to none. The construction of the center further affirms SU's commitment to have one of the top athletics programs in the country.
"The timing is perfect for this great project as Coach Shafer takes over the football program coming off a successful bowl-winning campaign, and while we are enjoying the best team success across the board in the history of Syracuse Athletics," Gross said. "Now is the critical time to press forward as we strive to compete for championships in the ACC. This practice center will give our football program, and our other programs, the opportunity to prepare, practice and play amongst the best in the nation, while providing the best possible environment for the development of all of our special student-athletes. Like the Carmelo Anthony Center has helped our men's and women's basketball programs compete at the highest level, this critical new center will continue our football program's momentum, and is absolutely essential in our pursuit of top-level student-athletes and conference championships. As the only BCS representative in the Empire State of New York, the center will continue our mission to restore Syracuse football to its rightful place."
The center will be constructed at the site of the Joseph Vielbig Outdoor Track Stadium. Construction is expected to begin this year, and as that process gets underway the University is committed to engaging in dialogue with members of the surrounding community as the project moves forward.
"This commitment will give our student-athletes a first-rate complex to utilize as we move to the ACC and compete for championships," said head football coach Scott Shafer. "With our outstanding staff, this building puts us on par or ahead of our competitors in the new league, and will attract and help us develop the kind of outstanding citizens and student-athletes required to win at this level."
The indoor practice center project is the fourth phase in the improvements to football facilities at Syracuse University. Previous substantial improvements include the recent renovation of the football wing at Manley Field House providing new locker facilities, lounges and team meeting spaces, a cafeteria and Hall of Fame lobby. Other phases completed in 2011 include the construction of a new strength and conditioning facility and new practice fields, plus the renovations to the sports medicine center.
The new center represents a cornerstone of an urgent and ambitious fundraising effort to be launched in the coming weeks that will be required to position Syracuse University Athletics to compete at the highest levels of the ACC.
"We will be seeking generous support of the Orange Nation to help us move this project and others to completion in record time as we gear up for our move to the ACC this fall," Gross said. "Several naming opportunities have been identified to recognize contributors at all gift levels for this important project."
In addition to the indoor practice center, Gross also announced the construction of a new track facility to be built on South Campus, merging with the current facility used for field events for head coach Chris Fox's cross country and track and field teams. While these programs are enjoying unprecedented success, the new track will enhance their status as an elite national program.
"We are grateful to have a new facility for our cross country and track and field programs which will allow for greater flexibility to train the more than 80 student-athletes in our program. It will undoubtedly help us achieve our goal of competing for championships," said head coach Chris Fox.
Syracuse University will continue designing and begin construction on one of the premiere collegiate athletics indoor practice centers in the nation, Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross announced today. Construction is expected to begin later this year. The state-of-the-art, $17 million planned center will continue to move Syracuse Athletics forward as New York's College Team, providing essential and transformational amenities needed to compete for championships in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The 87,000 square foot building will provide the football program with an innovative and modern practice environment, enhance recruiting efforts, and help develop the best and brightest student-athletes from across the nation. While the football program will be the main tenant of the new center, all Syracuse Athletics programs will have access and use of the center to better develop student-athlete performance and provide a student-athlete experience at Syracuse University second to none. The construction of the center further affirms SU's commitment to have one of the top athletics programs in the country.
"The timing is perfect for this great project as Coach Shafer takes over the football program coming off a successful bowl-winning campaign, and while we are enjoying the best team success across the board in the history of Syracuse Athletics," Gross said. "Now is the critical time to press forward as we strive to compete for championships in the ACC. This practice center will give our football program, and our other programs, the opportunity to prepare, practice and play amongst the best in the nation, while providing the best possible environment for the development of all of our special student-athletes. Like the Carmelo Anthony Center has helped our men's and women's basketball programs compete at the highest level, this critical new center will continue our football program's momentum, and is absolutely essential in our pursuit of top-level student-athletes and conference championships. As the only BCS representative in the Empire State of New York, the center will continue our mission to restore Syracuse football to its rightful place."
The center will be constructed at the site of the Joseph Vielbig Outdoor Track Stadium. Construction is expected to begin this year, and as that process gets underway the University is committed to engaging in dialogue with members of the surrounding community as the project moves forward.
"This commitment will give our student-athletes a first-rate complex to utilize as we move to the ACC and compete for championships," said head football coach Scott Shafer. "With our outstanding staff, this building puts us on par or ahead of our competitors in the new league, and will attract and help us develop the kind of outstanding citizens and student-athletes required to win at this level."
The indoor practice center project is the fourth phase in the improvements to football facilities at Syracuse University. Previous substantial improvements include the recent renovation of the football wing at Manley Field House providing new locker facilities, lounges and team meeting spaces, a cafeteria and Hall of Fame lobby. Other phases completed in 2011 include the construction of a new strength and conditioning facility and new practice fields, plus the renovations to the sports medicine center.
The new center represents a cornerstone of an urgent and ambitious fundraising effort to be launched in the coming weeks that will be required to position Syracuse University Athletics to compete at the highest levels of the ACC.
"We will be seeking generous support of the Orange Nation to help us move this project and others to completion in record time as we gear up for our move to the ACC this fall," Gross said. "Several naming opportunities have been identified to recognize contributors at all gift levels for this important project."
In addition to the indoor practice center, Gross also announced the construction of a new track facility to be built on South Campus, merging with the current facility used for field events for head coach Chris Fox's cross country and track and field teams. While these programs are enjoying unprecedented success, the new track will enhance their status as an elite national program.
"We are grateful to have a new facility for our cross country and track and field programs which will allow for greater flexibility to train the more than 80 student-athletes in our program. It will undoubtedly help us achieve our goal of competing for championships," said head coach Chris Fox.
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