CEDAR CITY, Utah (Friday, October 6, 2017) - On Friday afternoon the Thunderbird Athletic Department broke ground on the George S. Eccles Sports Performance Center, the future home for SUU Athletics sports performance operations.
"This facility is going to be huge for what we're doing for our student-athletes," SUU Interim Athletic Director Debbie Corum said at Friday's event. "Our football team will be able to work out together, and that will have a domino effect on all of our student-athletes because we'll have much more time for everyone to take part, and get into the facility at a good time with all of the team together."
The center will be located West of the J.D. & Alice C. Harris Center and Eccles Coliseum.
University President Scott L Wyatt said the generosity of the community and those that support the university make projects like this possible, and they will have a lasting impact on all of those who attend SUU moving forward.
"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," he said.
The facility will feature over 9,000 square feet of functional sports performance space, including all new weight training equipment, dedicated areas for agility and cardiovascular training, and a full nutrition station where Thunderbird student-athletes can replenish and recharge with proper nutrients following workouts and throughout the day.
"When I became a head coach, one of the things I was most surprised by was the amount of time and stress it takes to actually schedule things, and this new building will take some of that stress off all the coaches," SUU head football coach Demario Warren said.
Student-athletes are currently training in a 3,000 square foot weight room inside the Harris Center.
Construction for the George S. Eccles Sports Performance Center is scheduled to be completed by Spring of 2018.
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