By Lindsey Linard
Renovations are underway in Beeghly Center to update locker rooms, expand the athletic training room and establish an academic center.
According to Athletic Director Ron Strollo, the women’s basketball locker room is receiving a facelift, with the first phase being completed in early January. The updates were funded in part by a $50,000 grant from the Horizon League and contributions from the team’s fundraising efforts.
“The locker room is first class and will affect the experience of countless future women’s basketball student-athletes,” Strollo stated. “The improvements were overdue and now reflect the quality of the basketball program that we have.”
Tim Stuart, senior associate athletic director, explained that the locker room received brand new lockers with colored LED lighting and personalized TV screens above each of the players’ lockers. The second phase of the locker room is in progress with a theater-style player lounge and wall graphics being added soon.
“The old locker room was very outdated — probably 20 years plus since the previous lockers were installed. It’s important for us to take care of our current student-athletes by maintaining and up keeping our facilities,” Stuart said.
Another project in Beeghly is the construction of the brand new Korandovich Sports Medicine Center, which will be located on the lower level of the building.
It will replace the current one in Beeghly, which now acts as a satellite facility to the main Stambaugh training room and mainly serves athletes who call the Beeghly Center home — basketball, swim & dive, tennis and volleyball.
“We always had a need for an expanded space in Beeghly as far as the training room growth goes, but it was clear when we added 150 student-athletes that we needed more space,” Strollo said.
The facility will feature a new hydrotherapy area with hot and cold tubs, expanded rehab and recovery space, branded training tables and treatment areas, staff offices, and a physician exam room.
Jen Tymkew, associate athletic director and director of athletic training services, explained what all the room will house.
“The athletic training room will provide the functional space with state-of-the-art equipment to aid in prevention, treatment and recovery,” Tymkew stated.
This project was funded by a donation by the Korandovich family according to Steve Pinciaro, assistant athletic director of finance and operations. It will open its doors to athletes in the late spring to early summer.
Once the athletic training operations are moved into the new facility, the old room will be renovated to become a student-athlete academic center. Currently, there is one academic center, located inside Stambaugh Stadium, to serve all athletes.
The new academic center will provide study tables and couches, desktop computers and printers, as well as academic advising staff.
Jaysen Spencer, director of academic services, said the project will greatly benefit all student-athletes, not just those in Beeghly.
“It’ll make Stambaugh Academic Center a little bit more quieter in terms of a place to study. Plus, it’s a little more convenient for the student-athletes who don’t have to travel far to the stadium to do their academic work,” Spencer stated.
The academic center is slated to be finished in the fall.
Strollo said future phases of Beeghly Center’s improvements will include fixing the air conditioning and other problems in the men’s basketball locker room, and possibly replacing the stadium-style bleachers around the basketball court.
