Training Center Groundbreaking Tuesday

April 12, 2013

Groundbreaking ceremonies for the OU Rowing Training Center, the state-of-the-art, on-campus facility for the Oklahoma rowing program, will be held Tuesday, April 16 at 3:30 p.m.

Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Programs and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione, Head Rowing Coach Leeanne Crain and senior captain Nikki Furmanek will speak about the project, and a ceremonial "first dig" will take place.

The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at the construction site, located on the south side of Blankenship Boulevard, across from the rugby and soccer fields and southwest of the Lloyd Noble Center. Parking will be available in the Lloyd Noble Center parking lot.

"We are excited to get the project underway," OU head coach Leeanne Crain said. "We are looking forward to this historic celebration and the opportunity to recognize many individuals who have played a part in making this dream a reality."

Construction of the $6.5 million, 24,000-square foot facility began this week, and the project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2014. The team's on-campus training has been at Memorial Stadium since the program's inception in 2008-09.

The state-of-the-art project represents the latest addition to an impressive list of infrastructure additions and improvements by OU Athletics on the Oklahoma campus.

"This facility is going to have an enormously positive impact on our program from both a training and recruiting standpoint," Crain said. "Our student-athletes and coaches will soon have access to a state of the art rowing tank and training facility that will enable us to reach our competitive goals and attract top level recruits from around the country and abroad."

The building will house a state-of-the-art, 16-seat "moving water" rowing tank, used to simulate on-the-water training indoors. The facility will also feature a 2,740-square foot workout area, sports medicine and hydrotherapy room, team room and locker room in addition to office and meeting spaces and storage and laundry areas.

The facility will give the team a place to train when they aren't practicing on the water at Oklahoma City's Boathouse District on the Oklahoma River.

Outside of organized team practices, the training center will give student-athletes the opportunity to practice and continue to improve in an individual setting away from the water.

Rowing, in its fifth season as a varsity sport, is the largest women's team at OU. The sport has been sanctioned by the NCAA since 1997, and is one of the fastest growing collegiate sports.

The Sooners are in the midst of their most successful season in their young history. They have received votes in each of the first three USRowing Coaches Polls and made conference history when they earned the first four conference Boat of the Week honors in the season's opening three weeks. The spring schedule features races against top teams from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac 12 and SEC.

For behind-the-scenes updates and news on the Sooners, follow @SoonerRowing on Twitter and @ou_rowing on Instagram.

GROUNDBREAKING CEREMONY

Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Location: Construction site on Blankenship Boulevard, southwest of the Lloyd Noble Center
Map

OU ROWING TRAINING CENTER

On-campus practice facility
Groundbreaking: April 16, 2013
Completion: Spring 2014

FACTS AND FIGURES
Cost: $6.5 million
Square Feet: 24,000
Location: Blankenship Boulevard, south of the Lloyd Noble Center
FACILITY FEATURES
16-seat "moving water" rowing tank
2,740 square foot workout area
Sports medicine and hydrotherapy room with five cold tubs and more
Team room and locker room
Office and meeting spaces