University of Richmond Athletics
Athletic Department Announces Additional Upgrades to Robins Center Lower Level
03/01/2018 | Spider Athletic Fund
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond athletic department, in a continuing effort to improve the student-athlete experience while elevating facilities, has announced that construction began in January of approximately $7 million worth of privately funded improvements to the historic Robins Center with the creation of the Student-Athlete Performance Center.
The Student-Athlete Performance Center, which is located on the lower level of Robins Center, encompasses sports medicine, strength and conditioning, equipment room, football locker room, men's lacrosse locker room and the creation/renovation of men's and women's coaches' locker rooms.
These upgrades come in the wake of renovations recently completed including Olympic sport locker rooms and the administrative offices in the Robins Center as well as the $17 million renovation to the main arena in 2013-2014 that has transformed it into one of the premier college basketball arenas in the nation, while drawing rave reviews from players, coaches, fans and media.
"There are a couple reasons why this renovation is huge for our program," head football coach Russ Huesman said. "One: Quality of life for our players. The larger locker room will provide a greater quality of life for our student-athletes. The improved strength & conditioning and sports medicine areas will benefit not only football but also all of our student-athletes day in and day out. Two: Recruiting. To have a facility that's one of the best in FCS and the CAA is big. It's big in recruiting and it definitely showed up in this year's recruiting process. We were able to show them the work that was going to be done and when they arrive they'll be able to see it happening. We were able to show them the work that was going to be done and when they arrive they'll be able to see it happening."
"For us, we want our athletes to be the best runner, jumper, hurdler they can be and training, strength and health are all equal parts of that," Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Lori Taylor said. "Having state-of-the-art equipment and facilities will bring that all together for us and the entire department, not only for the athletes we already have here but in recruiting as well. It shows a real commitment from our department to those areas. It's another level of commitment to what we are trying to do and how good we want to be. No matter what the sport is or what the training is, all of these pieces together will help our athletes the best they can be."
Highlights of the project include:
ENHANCED SPORTS MEDICINE AREA
The sports medicine area will be renovated and enlarged. The new sports medicine area will now include a nutrition station, rest and recovery lounge and hydrotherapy area (warm water plunge, cold water plunge and under water treadmill tank).
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING AREA EXPANSION
The main strength and conditioning room will expand its size to be able to accommodate much larger workout groups of student athletes and will have all new, state-of-the art equipment.
RELOCATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF FOOTBALL LOCKER ROOM
The football team will be moving into a completely new locker room space. The new locker room will be larger and the configuration of the space will be more efficient. Enhancements include all-new lockers, lounge area with multiple flat screen TV's and all-new furniture and graphics.
UPDATED MEN'S LACROSSE LOCKER ROOM
A new, permanent men's lacrosse locker room in Robins Stadium will be created and include all-new lockers, furniture and state-of-the art technology.
EQUIPMENT ROOM
The equipment room will be separated into two new areas. These new spaces will function more efficiently with new offices; use of moveable shelves, and a new delivery space.
MEN'S COACHES LOCKER ROOM/WOMEN'S COACHES LOCKER ROOM
New men's and women's coaches' locker rooms will be created.
The construction of this project will be a multi-step process that will last approximately one year from the start until the finish. The construction time frame will be as follows:
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The Student-Athlete Performance Center, which is located on the lower level of Robins Center, encompasses sports medicine, strength and conditioning, equipment room, football locker room, men's lacrosse locker room and the creation/renovation of men's and women's coaches' locker rooms.
"This project represents an outstanding set of improvements which will positively impact the quality of our Spider student-athletes' experience! We are excited because the operations of these renovated and enhanced support areas will be more efficient for the student-athletes and it will enhance their daily lives," said Vice President and Director of Athletics John Hardt. "These renovated facilities will also provide our Spider student-athletes with more comprehensive medical care and create greater opportunities for the enhancement of their athletic performance. In addition, these incredible improvements will be a great recruiting asset for our Head Coaches and demonstrates our continued commitment to improve our student-athletes' experience at Richmond."
These upgrades come in the wake of renovations recently completed including Olympic sport locker rooms and the administrative offices in the Robins Center as well as the $17 million renovation to the main arena in 2013-2014 that has transformed it into one of the premier college basketball arenas in the nation, while drawing rave reviews from players, coaches, fans and media.
"There are a couple reasons why this renovation is huge for our program," head football coach Russ Huesman said. "One: Quality of life for our players. The larger locker room will provide a greater quality of life for our student-athletes. The improved strength & conditioning and sports medicine areas will benefit not only football but also all of our student-athletes day in and day out. Two: Recruiting. To have a facility that's one of the best in FCS and the CAA is big. It's big in recruiting and it definitely showed up in this year's recruiting process. We were able to show them the work that was going to be done and when they arrive they'll be able to see it happening. We were able to show them the work that was going to be done and when they arrive they'll be able to see it happening."
"For us, we want our athletes to be the best runner, jumper, hurdler they can be and training, strength and health are all equal parts of that," Director of Track & Field/Cross Country Lori Taylor said. "Having state-of-the-art equipment and facilities will bring that all together for us and the entire department, not only for the athletes we already have here but in recruiting as well. It shows a real commitment from our department to those areas. It's another level of commitment to what we are trying to do and how good we want to be. No matter what the sport is or what the training is, all of these pieces together will help our athletes the best they can be."
Highlights of the project include:
ENHANCED SPORTS MEDICINE AREA
The sports medicine area will be renovated and enlarged. The new sports medicine area will now include a nutrition station, rest and recovery lounge and hydrotherapy area (warm water plunge, cold water plunge and under water treadmill tank).
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING AREA EXPANSION
The main strength and conditioning room will expand its size to be able to accommodate much larger workout groups of student athletes and will have all new, state-of-the art equipment.
RELOCATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF FOOTBALL LOCKER ROOM
The football team will be moving into a completely new locker room space. The new locker room will be larger and the configuration of the space will be more efficient. Enhancements include all-new lockers, lounge area with multiple flat screen TV's and all-new furniture and graphics.
UPDATED MEN'S LACROSSE LOCKER ROOM
A new, permanent men's lacrosse locker room in Robins Stadium will be created and include all-new lockers, furniture and state-of-the art technology.
EQUIPMENT ROOM
The equipment room will be separated into two new areas. These new spaces will function more efficiently with new offices; use of moveable shelves, and a new delivery space.
MEN'S COACHES LOCKER ROOM/WOMEN'S COACHES LOCKER ROOM
New men's and women's coaches' locker rooms will be created.
The construction of this project will be a multi-step process that will last approximately one year from the start until the finish. The construction time frame will be as follows:
- The construction time frame of the new football locker room and sports medicine area will be approximately from January, 2018-July, 2018. The football team will continue to utilize its current locker room until the new locker room is completed in July, 2018.
- Construction will begin on the main strength and conditioning room in Mid-March, 2018 and be completed by July, 2018.
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