Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/575323
T H E 2 0 1 5 S E A S O N "Our facilities at Vanderbilt [were] better than what they are at Penn State right now," he told a Coaches Caravan audience in May 2014, "which is probably a little shocking to people." Franklin's comments were aimed at gen- erating support for an array of improve- ments to the Lasch Football Building and Holuba Hall, facilities that were state-of- the-art when they opened their doors more than two decades ago but have long since been surpassed by multimillion- dollar projects at schools such as Oregon, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State. Now those improvements are starting to take shape. Phase one has been under construction for months, and Penn State recently revealed further details that il- lustrate the scope of the project, including a plan to attract public support by offering the opportunity for donors to have their name placed on a locker. The multiphase Lasch renovation will allow Penn State "to provide the resources it needs to recruit and support the nation's most talented student-athletes," the uni- versity announced in a prepared statement. The first two phases of the project include the addition of a nutrition bar, as well as upgrades to the team auditorium, lobby, locker room, hydrotherapy room and an expanded equipment room. The new facilities, described by the uni- versity as "best-in-class," will include a sleek new lobby designed to be "powerful and progressive in a clean, classic Penn State way." There will be an awards area that will cele- brate the program's history, while the team auditorium will showcase its core values. Team imagery will be dis- played throughout the room. The locker room will fea- ture a new ceiling design with a logo, new carpet, new lockers, multi-tiered lighting controls and a video wall. Meanwhile, the Nittany Lion Club is encouraging the general public to get involved with the renovation project via an initiative that will al- low donors to be recognized within the facility. Those who make a gift of $15,000 over five years to the locker room project will have their name placed on one of the player lockers. In a promotional video for the project, athletic director Sandy Barbour says the goal is to create a facility that communi- cates "the energy and the passion around this program, and our connection to tra- dition and the incredible past that this program and this university have had." It sends that message through the use of smooth surfaces, lots of plate glass and the familiar blue-and-white color palate accented by Pennsylvania limestone rem- iniscent of Beaver Stadium's façade. In the video, assistant athletic director Phil Esten describes Penn State as "one of those institutions that is uniquely po- sitioned to do everything," adding that the building will transmit that message to potential recruits. "You think about the legacy and the tradition and history that this program has espoused in its foot- ball program," he said, "[and] our recruits need to understand what they're getting into. That's a really extraordinary piece of who we are." Brent Pry, Penn State's linebackers coach and co-defensive coordinator, emphasizes the importance of keeping up with the country's elite programs. Oregon spent $68 million on its football facility, which HOME IMPROVEMENT The head coach's of- fice (above) and team meeting room will showcase many of the design themes seen elsewhere in the building. Photo cour- tesy of Penn State Athletics