UTRGV Athletics unveils new locker rooms
UTRGV Athletics hosted two ceremonies for the grand opening of the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex facilities last Wednesday on the Edinburg Campus. The upgrades include locker rooms for both men’s and women’s soccer and track & field teams, head coach and staff offices, and a sports medicine facility. Abigail Ollave/THE RIDER
The UTRGV Department of Intercollegiate Athletics held a grand opening for the Soccer and Track & Field Complex locker rooms last Wednesday.
The locker rooms were an estimated $10 million taken from the $85 million investment going toward athletics.
The 13,500 square foot building holds locker rooms, office space for the staff, a sports medicine facility and training rooms.
During the opening ceremony, Chasse Conque, vice president and director of Athletics, said the department was “fired up” to have the grand opening as well as thankful to everyone who assisted in the construction of the facility.
Abigail Ollave/THE RIDER
“We have … nine capital projects, facility investments that are happening right now in our athletics department and it takes a village,” Conque said. “Nearly 14,000 square feet that will benefit our student athletes. … This will be a place for our student athletes to be able to train, team bonding … a place for you to rehab, a place for you to heal and truly a place for you to call your own.”
Mark Foster, women’s soccer team head coach, and Bryheem Hancock, men’s soccer team head coach, said they were grateful for all the people involved in the creation of the building.
After the student athletes saw the building, Foster said he felt proud to see the excitement in the students’ faces when they walked inside the facility.
He said moments like this are what he will remember for a long time.
“Seeing that joy and seeing them taking pictures,” Foster said. “Even simple things like when they open the locker and see that there’s a charger port for their phone, you know that’s important for kids now. Days like this certainly live long in the memory and it’s a great day.”
The Rider asked Foster what the impact of the facility is regarding recruiting student athletes. He replied, it elevates UTRGV.
“When recruits are being recruited they’re going to visit multiple schools,” Foster said. “For us to know that any kid that comes on our campus, they’re going to struggle to find better facilities than this. When they come in, this is going to blow their socks off.”
Hancock said the team has done well in academics, community service, and now they aim to do well in the Western Athletic Conference.
Alexis Gonzalez, sophomore goalkeeper for the men’s soccer team, said they are ready to work hard during the spring to excel during the fall.
“We’re really excited,” Gonzalez said. “We love the new locker room. It came out really amazing.”
He said he felt like a kid walking into the building and it was like a last gift from the holidays.
Savannah Frisby, junior forward for the women’s soccer team, said she was happy to have the facility and by how fast it was built.
“Personally, I’m really excited to have the built-in speakers to blast music and get hyped up before the games,” Frisby said. “ I think it’s a really nice room and I’m excited to be able to put it to good use.”
