New practice facility a result of success on the court
The construction of VCU’s $25 million basketball training facility begins June 2, 2015, and is expected to bring even more attention to VCU’s growing basketball program.
Austin Walker
Staff Writer
The construction of VCU’s $25 million basketball training facility begins June 2, 2015, and is expected to bring even more attention to VCU’s growing basketball program.
In the interest of its growing reputation, the VCU Athletics program is initiating the construction of their basketball training facility, funded by private donations and the reallocation of already-present non-state funding.
Some highlights of the facility include its own dining hall, strength training room, a new Hall of Fame, a hydrotherapy center, and a lounge and conference room overlooking the practice courts.
The athletics program at the university has gained attention from prospective high school athletes, largely resulting from the success of VCU men’s basketball head coach Shaka Smart and his guidance of the team to the Final Four.
At an impressive 60,000 square feet, the facility will serve both as a grounds to hone the skills of the current roster, and an incentive which recruiters may use in their efforts to bring top players into the school.
Following the announcement in March, Ed McLaughlin, the VCU director of athletics, reaffirmed this.
“From a recruiting perspective, I think if our fans saw what a lot of programs have, and programs that our fans think we should beat every single time we take the court, it’s really important for us to have this building,” McLaughlin said.
