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The latest athletic facility to receive a facelift is the SWOSU Strength & Conditioning Center, the training center for all SWOSU Athletic programs. Renovations to the Strength & Conditioning Center, which is located on 8th Street and just south of the Pioneer Cellular Event Center, were made possible thanks to generous donations to the SWOSU Athletic Department from boosters and the Athletic Association.

The plan to renovate the Strength & Conditioning Center went into action in September of 2014 and was completed within a four-month timeframe. In total, more than $350,000 worth of cash and donations were used to complete the project, which expanded the gym by 2,500 square feet to the south end, bringing its total size to 7,500 square feet currently.
 
Windows were added to the structure on the east side and in the addition while the walls were lined with sheet rock and painted. The ceiling was coated with a black paint job and had five new ceiling fans installed along with an additional water fountain within the addition. New custom flooring from PLAE flooring – the best performance flooring on the market today – was laid throughout the building along with SWOSU logos featured throughout and 14 custom half racks built by Hammer Strength, another top of the line provider.
 
Nearly 6,000 pounds of custom bumper plates made by Intek were ordered, featuring SWOSU's blue and gray colors. Another custom feature of the Strength & Conditioning Center is dumbbells made by TROY Barbell that feature the SWOSU Strength and Bulldog head logo on opposite sides. Other new equipment in the center includes new barbells, strength bands and medicine balls that are placed at each workout station.
 
"Our Strength & Conditioning Center has been in need of an upgrade and we are very thankful for the gracious donations of SWOSU Athletics supporters that enabled this to happen," SWOSU Athletic Director Todd Thurman said. "A special thank you goes to Jim & Jeanne Loomis, Dr. Carl & Sandra Hook and the SWOSU Athletic Association for taking on a major role in making this idea come to light. The best part about renovating the Strength & Conditioning Center is that it will benefit all of our student-athletes, making it a vital improvement for the future of our programs."
 
The largest donations for the project came from Jim & Jeanne Loomis, Dr. Carl & Sandra Hook along with the SWOSU Athletic Association. A large donor board will be featured inside the main entrance of the building, paying tribute to all donors who contributed to the renovations.
 
"We are beyond excited to open our new and improved Strength & Conditioning facility," SWOSU Strength Coach Kevin Hyde, whose vision helped spark the renovation. "Through extremely generous donations, we were able to make these improvements, giving SWOSU one of the very best strength & conditioning facilities in all of NCAA Division II athletics. We are very fortunate to have such a great facility and we cannot express enough our level of gratitude to those involved in making this happen."
 
The dedication for the Strength & Conditioning Center, which reopened for the start of the spring semester, will be held in advance of the SWOSU Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony on January 31, beginning at 9:30 am inside the building, which is located on the south side of the Pioneer Cellular Event Center. The new and improved SWOSU Strength & Conditioning Center opened its doors for the student-athletes for the start of the Spring 2015 semester on January 12, 2015, with the official dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony held on January 31, 2015.
 

 

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