Taylor Athletics has recently announced that they are continuing to revamp their athletic facilities to achieve a fresher, more modern look with the infrastructure.
Along with the new weight room in Odle Arena and the new turf at Winterholter Field installed this past year, renovations are incoming to the fieldhouse — soon to be named the Stillman Fieldhouse.
The Stillman name is honoring G. Patrick Stillman, who played football for the Trojans in 1958 and received an all-conference honor.
The athletic facilities are an integral part of Taylor, serving as a hub for student-athletes and coaches. The facilities in the Kessler Student Activities Center are classrooms, the student gym and where a majority of the locker rooms are for the athletic teams. Despite the university's growing athletic program, the current fieldhouse that houses the football locker room, meeting rooms and batting cages is outdated and no longer capable of meeting their needs. Every team aspires to rank within the top 25 in the NAIA, making it crucial for the university to update their facilities.
The fieldhouse will feature state-of-the-art facilities including a new football and lacrosse locker room and meeting rooms, as well as lounges and practice spaces tailored to baseball and softball teams.
Football head coach Aaron Mingo is looking forward to the enhancements that the new space will bring.
“First off, with our increased roster size, the renovations will accommodate that well with our locker room having enough lockers for every player,” Mingo said. “We also anticipate the quality of renovations enhancing our overall player experience and recruiting potential.”
The look of the fieldhouse is currently steel paneled and does not create cohesiveness between other campus buildings — as well as having an outdated interior facility.
“The exterior will receive a much needed facelift and match the other buildings on campus much better,” Mingo said. “The upstairs of the building will include a player lounge for our football team.
Coach Mingo sees two large advantages that the Stillman Fieldhouse will bring to the football program.
“There are two main categories we are committed to continually enhance in our program,” Mingo said. “Those areas are creating a world class experience for our players and recruiting. This space will help us enhance both of those categories.”
Taylor’s commitment to improving its infrastructure shows its dedication to providing an award-winning education for its students and athletes. The Stillman Fieldhouse is just one example of the university's ongoing efforts to enhance the campus experience and ensure that its students have access to the resources they need to succeed.
