In Chicago, Mike McGraw notes Northwestern's Walter Athletics Center, the school's new indoor practice facility, is now "essentially complete, with expanded locker rooms, two different weight rooms, cafeteria, training facilities, meeting rooms and academic support offices all under one roof." Many of Northwestern's Olympic sports are "housed in the new building." The school can now "compete with most any program when it comes to football facilities." The football auditorium has "room for the whole team" and there is a "virtual reality room where players, mostly the quarterbacks, can relive practice" (Chicago DAILY HERALD, 8/3).
OFFSEASON UPGRADES: San Diego State's football locker room in the Fowler Athletics Center underwent a $2M renovation during the offseason, and now "features 115 custom wood lockers, each with USB stations for players." It includes "six flat screen TVs along with a surround sound system." There also is "new flooring and a 20-foot Aztec Calendar medallion hanging from the ceiling." The project was "funded with privately-raised and internal funds" (SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.com, 8/2).
SPIDEY SENSES: The Richmond football team now has a "new locker room, a new strength-and-conditioning area" and a new sports-medicine area after the Robins Center underwent a $7M renovation this offseason. The football locker room is "much larger than its predecessor and includes flat-screen TVs, video game stations and lounges." It is "adjacent to greatly enhanced sports-medicine and strength-and-conditioning areas" (RICHMOND.com, 8/2).
LASTING LEGACY: North Carolina "will honor basketball coach Roy Williams by naming the court at the Smith Center for him." "Roy Williams Court" will be "dedicated during a UNC basketball reunion on Aug. 24." (Raleigh NEWS & OBSERVER, 8/3).
