Defiance College to break ground on athletic improvements
March 9, 2018
DEFIANCE, Ohio - Major improvements to the athletic facilities at Defiance College will be under way this month. The project will be launched with a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday, March 15, at 12:15 p.m. at the Karl H. Weaner Community Center on Webster Street. Click on an image below to view it fullsize.
A 4,156 square foot addition of four new locker rooms will be made to the McMaster Center. Renovations will also be made to the Weaner Center and Justin F. Coressel Stadium, totaling 7,600 square feet.
“We’re thrilled to improve and expand our athletic facilities,” said Lois McCullough, Vice President for Finance and Management. “This not only impacts our current student athletes, but will give us a competitive edge for future student athletes.”
Jodie Holava, Interim Athletic Director, noted, "We are grateful that President Mankey and the Board of Trustees have invested in athletics to enable our programs to be more competitive with surrounding institutions and within our conference. The facility upgrades will assist in recruiting quality student-athletes and continue to support retention within the basketball, volleyball and football programs.”
The additional locker room space will bring new opportunities for student-athletes at DC with added sports teams. “We are excited to be able to support wrestling on campus again," said Holava.
The project includes:
- Renovation and expansion of men’s and women’s locker rooms, restroom improvements, new display area, and enhanced security to existing spaces in the Weaner Center.
- Addition of four locker rooms designed to allow for future expansion in the McMaster Center.
- Upgrades to the senior football locker room and other improvements in the Coressel Stadium.
To ease disruption to student life and campus events, work will be completed in stages throughout the next several months.
Design Collaborative, an architecture and engineering firm, and Weigand Construction, both of Fort Wayne, Ind., are teamed together to create these state-of-the-art athletic support spaces. Also working on the project are Highland Electric and Leever Glass of Defiance.
Defiance College, chartered in 1850, is an independent, liberal arts-based institution in Northwest Ohio offering more than 40 undergraduate programs of study as well as graduate programs in education and business. Defiance College competes in Division III of the NCAA and is a member of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The College has received national recognition for its educational experience of service and engagement. The College website is www.defiance.edu.
