For the past 20 years, SUU student athletes have been using the same 3,000 square foot training center. The different teams have stressed over getting their time in the strength training room and have struggled against the elements on the outdoor fields and track.
On Oct. 6, the ground was broken for the George S. Eccles Sports Performance Center. Students will have 9,000 square feet of new space for sports performance training, including an indoor turf runway, brand new weight training equipment, dedicated areas for cardiovascular and agility training and a nutrition station where SUU’s 350 plus student athletes can fuel up on healthy meals after workouts and throughout the day.
Head Football Coach Demario Warren said he believes this new sports center is, “… a testament to our community, to our university and to our athletic department trying to have a successful division one football program.”
Interim Athletic Director Debbie Corum said the athletic department doesn’t want to grow complacent again with this new building being built, and is already thinking of what’s coming next.
“So even though we’re celebrating this building, we’re thinking forward to the next one,” Corum said. “We also just want to encourage you to be looking forward to our next steps and how we can move forward and how you can help us with that as well.”
One of those steps will either be re-making the old weight room into an office space for football coaches, or creating an entirely new building for the offices. The football coaches are currently located in the America First Events Center.
University President Scott L. Wyatt said he was thrilled about the groundbreaking, and how the new sports center represents the support SUU receives from the community.
“Our campus is different today because of all of the support that you’re willing to give us,” Wyatt said. “The students that come to Southern Utah University are having a better experience today, and will have a better experience six months and a year from now because of all these gifts.”
Wyatt said that along with this new sports center, $50 million has been raised by the community and $11 million has been given by the state for development on campus including the new business building and the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Center for the Arts.
The George S. Eccles Sports Performance Center is scheduled to be completed by spring of 2018.
Stay up to date with all Thunderbird athletics news by following them on Twitter at @SUUThunderbirds and on Instagram at @suuthunderbirds.
Story By
Haleigh Clemens
sports@suunews.com
