WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Purdue University Board of Trustees has approved a plan for improvements to historic Mackey Arena as the men's and women's basketball programs set their sights on furthering their success on the national stage.
As Purdue competes with the top tier of college basketball programs, facility enhancements are necessary to continue attracting the next generation of talent. The planned enhancements to the facility will be helpful in creating more efficient and functional space for current and future student-athletes who spend a significant amount of time between workouts, classes and in recovery inside Mackey Arena during the year.
Today's approval authorizes renovations, scheduled to begin at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, that include completely reconfigured men's and women's basketball locker rooms, player lounges and an expansion of the John Wooden Club. Renovations will focus on modernizing layouts and updating technology, resulting in a more efficient use of existing spaces as well as new student-athlete amenities. Additionally, the expansion of the Wooden Club is designed to enhance the donor experience. The estimated cost of this project is $6.7 million and will be entirely funded through donor gifts.
"The upcoming locker room project and Wooden Club renovations will continue to elevate our program for our current and future student-athletes and our fans," said head men's basketball coach Matt Painter. "Mackey Arena is already considered one of the premier environments in college basketball, and holds a special place for me as a former player. These improvements will continue to ensure that Purdue Basketball and Mackey Arena remain among the nation's elite."
Purdue Men's Basketball reached its first-ever No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press national poll this past season. Painter's Boilermaker squad is also one of only three men's basketball programs to have reached four Sweet 16s in the last five NCAA Tournaments.
The momentum of Purdue Women's Basketball has been on the rise, with head coach Katie Gearlds taking over the program just 47 days prior to the start of the 2021-22 season and leading the Boilermakers to 17 wins in her first campaign. The 10-win improvement was the most by a Purdue coach in her first year and tied for the third-best turnaround in program history.
"The locker room renovation project is a vital step as we bring the women's basketball program back to the national stage," said Gearlds. "The new locker room and player areas will provide additional resources to our student-athletes as we take the next step to compete at an elite level."
"We are incredibly proud of the momentum behind our Purdue Basketball programs and the level of leadership displayed by our coaching staffs," said Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Mike Bobinski. "The continued investment in our facilities is a critical component in our ability to build upon the current level of success, and we are grateful for the opportunity to move forward with the support of the university as well as our alumni and fans."
If you are interested in learning more about naming opportunities or additional ways to support the project with a major gift commitment, please contact the John Purdue Club at 765.494.CLUB or jpc@purdue.edu.
As Purdue competes with the top tier of college basketball programs, facility enhancements are necessary to continue attracting the next generation of talent. The planned enhancements to the facility will be helpful in creating more efficient and functional space for current and future student-athletes who spend a significant amount of time between workouts, classes and in recovery inside Mackey Arena during the year.
Today's approval authorizes renovations, scheduled to begin at the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, that include completely reconfigured men's and women's basketball locker rooms, player lounges and an expansion of the John Wooden Club. Renovations will focus on modernizing layouts and updating technology, resulting in a more efficient use of existing spaces as well as new student-athlete amenities. Additionally, the expansion of the Wooden Club is designed to enhance the donor experience. The estimated cost of this project is $6.7 million and will be entirely funded through donor gifts.
"The upcoming locker room project and Wooden Club renovations will continue to elevate our program for our current and future student-athletes and our fans," said head men's basketball coach Matt Painter. "Mackey Arena is already considered one of the premier environments in college basketball, and holds a special place for me as a former player. These improvements will continue to ensure that Purdue Basketball and Mackey Arena remain among the nation's elite."
Purdue Men's Basketball reached its first-ever No. 1 ranking in the Associated Press national poll this past season. Painter's Boilermaker squad is also one of only three men's basketball programs to have reached four Sweet 16s in the last five NCAA Tournaments.
The momentum of Purdue Women's Basketball has been on the rise, with head coach Katie Gearlds taking over the program just 47 days prior to the start of the 2021-22 season and leading the Boilermakers to 17 wins in her first campaign. The 10-win improvement was the most by a Purdue coach in her first year and tied for the third-best turnaround in program history.
"The locker room renovation project is a vital step as we bring the women's basketball program back to the national stage," said Gearlds. "The new locker room and player areas will provide additional resources to our student-athletes as we take the next step to compete at an elite level."
"We are incredibly proud of the momentum behind our Purdue Basketball programs and the level of leadership displayed by our coaching staffs," said Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, Mike Bobinski. "The continued investment in our facilities is a critical component in our ability to build upon the current level of success, and we are grateful for the opportunity to move forward with the support of the university as well as our alumni and fans."
If you are interested in learning more about naming opportunities or additional ways to support the project with a major gift commitment, please contact the John Purdue Club at 765.494.CLUB or jpc@purdue.edu.