Scan your hand, enter a code and you’ve been granted access to Virginia Tech’s new $18 million treasure.
Tech’s new three-story, 41,900 square-foot building, which took 15 months to complete and was privately funded, includes a new football locker room and a new wrestling practice area. The facility encapsulates the Hokies’ mission this decade: Win, build, and keep winning.
“It’s something that the kids really like and they’re going to enjoy,” said Frank Beamer, head football coach. “I really think in the big picture it shows the intentions of what this program is all about. It’s the best in the country as far as I’m concerned and that’s where we’re trying to get to.”
The new locker room is approximately three times the size of the old locker room and located at the bottom of the Merryman Athletic Center. At 14,800 square feet it also boasts a host of amenities including flat screen televisions for announcements, hot and cold tubs and a spacious new shower area.
The lockers themselves include a ventilation system to keep equipment dry as well as individual safes for players to store valuables. They are also among the largest in the nation and this was at the forefront of Beamer’s vision.
“Coach Beamer asked me what’s the largest locker that you’ve ever seen and I said well the largest I’ve ever seen either in life or in pictures is the one that Texas has,” said Tom Gabbard, Tech’s associate director of athletics for internal affairs.
“I think it’s maybe 40 inches. (Beamer said) I’ll make ours 42, so I said alright.”
Senior cornerback Rashad Carmichael agreed describing his initial reaction to the new locker room.
“‘Wow’ was the first word. The first thing I saw when I went and checked it out was a picture of the first Orange Bowl we won with me and (Jason Worilds),” Carmichael said. “The guys that are going to come in, that’s going to be their home forever. When those guys come in and they get to look at me and they’ll see … Worilds, hopefully that will make them want to come out and work a little harder at practice.”
On the second floor, a 12,900 square-foot lounge will keep players busy and serve as an area for recruiting banquets. The lounge includes six 65-inch high definition televisions, pool tables and an area for players to sit and rehydrate after practice.
Leave a comment 0 Comments Write a letter to the editor
All letters to the editor must include a name, e-mail, daytime phone number and affiliation to Virginia Tech. Affiliation includes: year and major for students; position and department for faculty and staff; current city for alumni and parents.