Project Description
When UMass became a full member of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the university retained HOK and Perkins+Will to design a new football training facility and upgrades to McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
Positioned to infill the stadium at its north end zone, the Football Performance Center consolidates program areas previously scattered across campus. In addition to supporting the daily needs of student athletes, it serves as a recruiting tool for coaches to use to attract the best talent and build a nationally competitive program.
On the first floor of the dedicated football facility, a 7,000-sq.-ft. weight room anchors the space and is surrounded by athletic training, hydrotherapy, team locker room and equipment distribution areas. The highly efficient layout creates important adjacencies for student athletes and their coaches.
The second level includes the team auditorium and a coaches’ suite. A multipurpose room serves as the team lounge, recruiting room, study area and team dining hall during the week. On football Sundays, it acts as a hospitality suite that provides access to a terrace overlooking the field.
Conveniently located, the site provides access to the stadium’s artificial turf field and two natural grass fields.
The project also included demolishing the antiquated press box and replacing it with the modern Martin and Richard Jacobson Press & Skybox Complex, which supports all current broadcast, media, hospitality and game day operational needs.
–Courtesy HOK