University of Nebraska at Omaha Unveils Plans for State-of-the-Art Athletic Facilities
Exciting developments are underway for the University of Nebraska at Omaha as the Board of Regents has given the green light to two major projects aimed at elevating the university’s athletic program. These initiatives promise to provide cutting-edge facilities for athletes and enhance the university’s reputation as a leading Division I institution.
On Friday, the Board of Regents unanimously endorsed the construction of the Omaha Athletics Training Facility, a privately funded project with an estimated budget of $55 million. This facility is set to transform the UNO athletic department into a premier metro university athletic department, according to Adrian Dowell, UNO’s Director of Athletics. Alongside this, a new $12.5 million baseball and softball clubhouse was also sanctioned.
Dowell elaborated on the scope of the projects, stating, “One is a training facility which is a 75,000-square-foot facility, which will be located right next to and connected to Baxter Arena.” He further explained, “The second is a 19,000-square-foot clubhouse facility, which will be located at Maverick Park, right on the edge of Connie Claussen Field.”
The newly planned volleyball, basketball, and volleyball practice facility will replace the aging Sapp Fieldhouse, a historic structure dating back to 1949 that currently accommodates these sports programs for practice. Despite its long service, the fieldhouse is showing its age, as noted in a project description on the board agenda.
While Baxter Arena will continue to host basketball, volleyball, and hockey events, the new facilities signify a significant upgrade for practice and training purposes. The construction of these facilities is supported by generous contributions from various families and organizations, including the Hawks, Scott, and Sokol families, Dowell highlighted.
“We have the privilege to stand on the shoulders of giants, like the Hawks family, like the Scott families, like the Sokol family,” Dowell remarked, “and many others and generations of Maverick student athletes to build something truly great and fitting for a leading Division I institution.”
Recent successes have underscored the momentum of UNO’s athletic programs. In March, the university’s men’s basketball team claimed the Summit League Conference title for the first time, earning a spot in the Division I NCAA men’s basketball tournament, where they faced No. 2 seed St. John’s. Meanwhile, the softball team celebrated its third consecutive conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance in May.
Since joining Division I and the Summit League in the 2012-13 athletic year, UNO’s athletic department has made eight NCAA postseason tournament appearances as of 2021, according to a September press release.
Construction of the Omaha Athletics Training Facility is set to commence in October, with completion anticipated by December 2028.
