Virginia Tech’s athletic department has received its largest-ever donation.
The more than $15 million donation comes from an anonymous alumni couple. The money will be used to build a state-of-the-art Student Athlete Performance Center.
Athletic Director Whit Babcock says the project will include an expansion and renovation of a portion of the school’s current Jamerson Athletic Center.
“We will have all of our nutrition and dining and what we call ‘training table’ up there for all of our sports. But, that area is also connected to Cassell Coliseum, so we plan to use it for fan experience, donor engagement, study halls, a lot of our student athlete development activities; it’s just a space that is centrally located and can benefit all 22 sports and 500 plus student athletes.”
And while Babcock says the center will play a vital part in boosting the university’s position within the Atlantic Coast Conference, bringing the school’s student athletes together under one roof is the main goal.
“And I just like the thought of football eating with track and tennis and basketball and one big family; maybe it’s old school, but something about coming together for a meal and what that does for culture and cohesiveness – it just speaks to me on that level very much as well.”
The project still requires formal approval from the school’s Board of Visitors, but officials hope construction will begin sometime next year.
RADIO IQ is a service of Virginia Tech.