ERIE, Pa. -- At a press conference held Thursday morning, Mercyhurst University announced that next phase of the Laker for Life campaign, renovations to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center, will begin on Monday.
"Today is another special day for Mercyhurst University and our athletic programs. Just 26 months ago, we announced the Laker for Life campaign," said Director of Athletics Brad Davis. "We promised to renovate multiple athletic facilities over the next few years. We said exciting times were ahead as a new vision for Mercyhurst Athletics was developed. Well today we're all here, and six feet apart, to celebrate another major step for our student athletes, our coaches and our staff."
With the upgrades coming to the Mercyhurst Athletic Center, all competition facilities on the Mercyhurst campus will have been upgraded through the efforts of the Laker for Life campaign. The Athletic Center is the competition site for volleyball, men's and women's basketball and wrestling.
"When you bring a student-athlete to visit campus, they drive through the gate and it's a gorgeous campus. It doesn't matter if it's winter or summer it shows well," said head women's basketball coach Brooklyn Kohlheim. "Our campus catches the attention of parents and now we will have the facility match the rest of campus."
The Laker for Life campaign has raised over $10 million to transform the face of Mercyhurst Athletics.
"I have the honor of offering our thanks to the many benefactors," said interim President Joseph NeCastro. "I will start with Betsy and Bill Vorsheck, who made the largest alumni donation in Mercyhurst history to kick off the campaign. John and Patty Saxon for their donation to the technological and aesthetic updates at Saxon Stadium named in their honor. We are also very grateful to Owen McCormick for his significant gift that made this project possible."
The renovations to the MAC will see the stage removed and the court turned 90 degrees. The new playing surface will also have new, upgraded seating and new video scoreboards. The renovation will also include a new lobby and a new Hall of Fame display. The playing surface will be named Owen J. McCormick Court, after Owen McCormick, a major contributor to the Laker for Life Campaign.
"I would never want to speak for any of our other programs. So for men's basketball what we're going to try and do is put a product on the floor that is worthy of the faith and the vision of this new facility," said head men's basketball coach Gary Manchel.
Construction will begin on Monday.
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