ODAF Approves Financing for Basketball Practice Facility
The Old Dominion University Athletic Foundation and its board of directors have agreed to finance the Burnett and Blanche Mitchum Basketball Practice Facility. The board's approval comes as a result of the fundraising success to date for the project.
"On the strength of the financial commitment from ODAF, we are now able to proceed with the selection for services to design this state-of-the-art basketball practice facility," said Wood Selig, athletic director. "In turn, this step will allow us to establish an overall project schedule, and we will begin the selection process for our design firm in early 2014."
"We are grateful to the donors who have contributed to this project, and especially to the Mitchum family. While we are pleased with our fundraising to date, we still have a number of prospects to visit in order to complete our fundraising," added Selig.
The basketball practice facility will be located behind the Ted Constant Convocation Center along Monarch Way and will be connected to the venue. The building will serve as the home for the men's and women's basketball coaching staffs, and will include a practice gymnasium, sports medicine and sports performance and enhancement centers, and NBA-style locker rooms.
"One of the reasons I was attracted to ODU was the tremendous support of the program from our donors, corporate sponsors and season ticket holders. This complex is a 'difference maker' for our program, and will distinguish us from others in Conference USA," said head men's basketball coach Jeff Jones. "Facilities such as this reflect institutional commitment to men's and women's basketball, and serves to further elevate our program."
"With the addition of the Mitchum facility and its connection to the Ted and our student-athlete housing, we believe this building provides our student-athletes the luxury to live, practice and play within a one-block radius, which is rare in college basketball," said women's basketball coach Karen Barefoot. "We are extremely grateful to the donors who have made this project a reality."