Gifts Boost Gym Project
The gift of $1 million from the
“The fundamental nature of this gift came from their hearts, in a difficult time for everyone in the athletic department,” UA athletics director Jim Livengood said of the
““Shawntinice Polk set an example for so many young people looking for opportunities to improve their lives,” the
“We felt Shawntinice was the embodiment of what the
Coach Olson and his wife, Christine, have provided a gift of $250,000 that also will go toward the proposed building, which has received conceptual approval by the university administration and is pending approval by the Arizona Board of Regents this winter. The gymnasium will be built to the north of the existing
“"It is a much-needed facility,” Olson said. “This will go a long way towards helping all of the programs that use
The project, expected to cost some $15 million in private funds, is part of a capital campaign that includes the new gym, renovation of the swimming facility including a new diving well, expansion of the gymnastics’ resources, renovation of the basketball coaches office complex, Frank Sancet Field/Kindall stadium improvements currently under way for baseball, and improvements to track and field’s Drachman Stadium, Livengood said.
Senior associate athletics director Chris Del Conte said a number of benefactors have helped join forces to acquire the necessary funding for the capital improvements. “With these gifts and others, we have more than $6.2 million toward the projects. We’re really pleased by the response we’ve had to these needed improvements. This kind of generosity is vital to our continued success as a top intercollegiate program,” he said.
