It is scheduled for completion by December 2010.

 

The groundbreaking took place at the building site at 11 a.m.  Speakers included Elon University President Leo M. Lambert; Director of Athletics Dave Blank; head football coach Pete Lembo; women’s soccer head coach Chris Neal and student-athlete Molly Calpin.

 

The new field house will include the Hendrickson Football Center in recognition of a gift from alumni Jay '71 and Amy '69 Hendrickson of Raleigh, N.C., who made a $1 million gift in honor of Jay's father, Horace J. Hendrickson, one of Elon's all-time great coaches.  

 

"The most significant thing that comes to mind is a conversation my father had with me a long time ago – that Elon was the greatest place he ever worked in his life," said Jay. "It gives me an opportunity to clear my thoughts and give back for the things he gave me and hopefully Elon can pass those same things on to other people." 

 

It will also contain the Walker VIP Room and Terrace, as well as the Zac Walker Place entrance road, in recognition of a gift from alumnus and trustee Zac Walker '60 and his wife, Dot, of Raleigh, N.C.  They made a $500,000 gift in honor of Zac’s father, Zachary T. Walker Jr., a member of Elon’s Sports Hall of Fame, and Zac’s uncle, D.C. “Peahead” Walker, another of Elon’s all-time great coaches. 

 

"Well to me, this project is about student-athletes. It is a whole lot more than just brick and mortar. This is for the future of Elon athletics and Elon student-athletes. My dad was a student-athlete here and it makes me proud to be able to do something like this," said Walker.

 

The facility will include a large team meeting room and locker room for football; a conference room; an advanced athletic training room, including a hydrotherapy area; a large strength and conditioning room; and space for student athletes to study.  It will also provide offices for the athletics director and coaches in the football, baseball, soccer, cross country and track and field programs, as well as other athletics staff.

 

A $250,000 gift from trustee emeritus W. E. “Dub” Love, Jr. ’48 and his wife, Ann, will name the football locker room.  Elon trustee Wes Elingburg and his wife, Cathy, longtime supporters of the university and parents of an Elon student, also made a generous gift in support of the project.

 

The Ward family – mother Cynthia, son Hunt ‘82 and his wife Julia – gave $100,000 in memory of C. Max Ward ’49.   Rear Admiral Edward “Ted” Walker, a member of the Board of Visitors, contributed $100,000. There were many other contributions to the project, including gifts by several former football players in honor of their coaches.