2014-15 SEASON IN REVIEW
STORIES
SPORTS
NEW COLE FIELD HOUSE
On November 21, 2014 the University of Maryland officially unveiled the vision for a dynamic academic, research and athletic facility in Cole Field House. The $155 million project will renovate and expand Cole Field House to include the Terrapin Performance Center, the Center for Sports Medicine, Health and Human Performance and the future home of the Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The University of Maryland also announced a gift of $25 million from Under Armour founder and CEO and UMD alum Kevin Plank in support of the new Cole Field House.
“The new Cole Field House is not just an important project for Maryland Athletics, it is a signature project for our entire institution,” said President Wallace D. Loh. “For our students, faculty, staff and alumni, this project will be a point of pride, and a reminder of the world-class athletics, groundbreaking research and innovative academics here at the University of Maryland.”
“This project brings together two of my favorite passions, Maryland athletics and entrepreneurship,” said Kevin Plank. “The lessons I learned on the football field in College Park continue to fuel my entrepreneurial spirit and shape my professional approach. By fostering a generation of entrepreneurial-minded young adults, we are preparing our students not just for the next four years, but for many years to come.”
The Terrapin Performance Center will include a dynamic indoor football practice facility, strength and conditioning facilities, team locker room, meeting rooms and offices. Two outdoor turf fields will also be constructed on the west end of the facility. The fields will also be made available to all UMD students for intramural sports.
“The Terrapin Performance Center will enhance our overall student-athlete experience both on and off the field,” said Kevin Anderson, director of athletics. “By providing them with a world- class practice, training and strength and conditioning facility, as well as expansive meeting space, our student-athletes will boast a competitive advantage as new members of the Big Ten Conference. The presence of the Academy of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, coupled with the best sports medicine program in the country, will provide our student-athletes with unparalleled opportunities for success.”
The Center for Sports Medicine, Health and Human Performance is a collaboration with the University of Maryland, Baltimore. The Center will advance the discovery of innovative diagnostics and treatments and will have dedicated research laboratory space focused on concussion and traumatic brain injuries, muscle-brain physiology and biochemistry, exoskeleton-robotic treatments and medical biomechanics.
The Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, co-located in the new Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center, will serve as the central home for university-wide entrepreneurial curricula, activities, competitions and programs. It will include an Innovation Shell, a hybrid incubator-classroom space designed for students to build their projects, and a rapid prototyping lab. It will also include a shared marketplace where student incubator companies can market and test their products and services.
The $155 million project will be funded by $105 million in private philanthropy and rental income, with $25 million in support from the State of Maryland. The University of Maryland will also direct $25 million from Big Ten revenues towards the project.
Pending full Board of Regents approval in December, the University plans to begin design in May 2015, begin construction in December 2015, complete construction of Phase I (Terrapin Performance Center) in April 2017, and complete construction of Phase II in June 2018.
For video, images and additional details about the Cole Field House project, please visit ColeFieldHouse.umd.edu.