Posted February 05, 2018 at 04:53 PM | Updated February 05, 2018 at 05:22 PM
By Keith Sargeant | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
Not long after putting a shovel in the dirt during a ceremonial groundbreaking for the $115 million RWJBarnabas Health Athletic Performance Center, Pat Hobbs turned his attention to the next project.
“It’s going to be a very, very big focus in the next six months,” the Rutgers Athletics Director said, pointing to a proposed training facility to accommodate the men’s and women’s soccer and lacrosse programs. “There are a lot of folks who are passionate about soccer and lacrosse, as I am, and they know the importance of that facility.’’
Rutgers football unveils new practice facility
John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
That statement seems prophetic after Hobbs on Monday announced a $15 million gift for the lacrosse and soccer training facility.
The naming rights were secured by Gary Rodkin and his wife Barbara, both Rutgers alums. Gary Rodkin is best known as the former Chief Executive Officer of Omaha-based ConAgra Foods, one of the largest food-processing companies in the country.
It marks the largest gift in Rutgers Athletics history, and university officials say “the Gary and Barbara Rodkin Center for Academic Success.” will support the academic achievements of Rutgers’ 680 student-athletes.
“It’s fitting that the largest gift in (Rutgers) athletics history is focused on the academic success of our student-athletes,” Hobbs said in a statement. “Gary and Barbara wanted to marry their two passions — academics and athletics. This facility will enable us to build a best-in-class academic support program.
“Rutgers is committed to student-athlete success while in the classroom and later in life after they have finished competing for the Scarlet Knights. We are incredibly grateful to Gary and Barbara for their wonderful generosity. Hopefully, their giving will inspire others, as we continue to write a great chapter in Rutgers Athletics history.”
The facility will be built on the Busch Campus, tucked in between High Point Solutions Stadium and Yurcak Field.
The previous rendering of the soccer/lacrosse training facility was a two-story building that was slated to include training and equipment spaces for each program, new lounges and meeting rooms, coaching offices, and locker rooms.
While those same amenities will be included, the new plan will consolidate all academic support services for Rutgers athletics in a single building. Currently, Rutgers athletes have academic-support services in the Hale Center. Rutgers’ athletics administrators — who are spread between the Hale Center, the Rutgers Athletic Center and on the press-box level of the football stadium — will also have offices inside the Rodkin Center.
While there is no timetable for construction, Hobbs told NJ Advance Media that he expects to have a groundbreaking at some point in the next four months. There is no price tag on the project, but Hobbs said the Rodkin family gift should “allow (Rutgers officials) to have a bunch of conversations for six-figure gifts” for naming-rights to rooms throughout the new facility.
The renderings obtained by NJ Advance Media show a refurbished Athlete’s Glen, which is currently used on football game-days for a concert stage, meet-and-greet area for the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and for food stands.
It shows the Rodkin Center to be built on land currently used by the men’s and women’s soccer teams as a practice field.
Under the new plan, the soccer teams will have their fields moved to closer to the indoor Bubble. The lacrosse teams will practice on land near Yurcak Field that currently is used as a parking lot on football and soccer game-days.
The post Rutgers athletics secures record $15M fundraising gift | Which teams will it impact? appeared first on HD Sports News.
source http://hdsportsnews.com/rutgers-athletics-secures-record-15m-fundraising-gift-which-teams-will-it-impact/
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