A long-range list of improvements to Western Carolina University athletics facilities will tip off with an ambitious project in support of the Catamount men’s and women’s basketball programs featuring renovated locker rooms, polished and refined player lounges with nutrition areas, and an updated team film room.

New and renovated athletics facilities are a significant part of WCU’s upcoming comprehensive fundraising campaign, which will focus on academic excellence inside and outside of the classroom and a robust student experience, including athletics.

More than $1 million has been pledged to support the $1.6 million basketball enhancement initiative, which will be 100% donor funded. Catamount Athletics will look to complete fundraising for the project before the end of this calendar year and complete construction of the project prior to summer 2023, Gary said. 

Over 3,000 square feet of space on the main level of the Ramsey Regional Activity Center will be transformed by the project. Both men’s and women’s locker room renovations will see new lockers from Shield Lockers, complete with charging stations and LED lighting. The locker rooms will also include nutrition areas, custom flooring, graphics, and expanded player’s lounge areas with enhanced sound systems and flat screen televisions. The film room will include new stadium-style seating, along with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment to support film breakdown and instruction. 

Catamount basketball coaches agree that the changes will not only improve the practice and gameday experiences for current players but will also help recruit future and retain current student-athletes.

“These are challenging times, but with challenging times comes great opportunity. WCU Athletics has accepted the challenge, and this project begins the first domino of excellence,” Hill said.

WCU is partnering on the project with Gensler Sports, a nationally recognized architectural firm in the world of collegiate athletics. Gensler Sports’ previous clients include the University of South Carolina, University of North Carolina, and the University of Texas, to name a few. 

“We understand how important it is to have a custom, state-of-the-art space for our current players as well as being able to showcase it during the recruiting process,” said Justin Gray, men’s basketball head coach. 

The basketball locker room and film room projects are the first of several facility enhancements that Catamount Athletics will pursue as a part of the university’s pending fundraising campaign. Contributions from Catamount Club members and other supporters are a critical element in the funding model for collegiate sports at WCU because no state dollars can be used to support athletic programs at any University of North Carolina System institution.

For more information or to make a donation to the men’s and women’s basketball locker rooms and film room renovation project, contact Julie Miller, Associate Athletics Director for Development, at (828) 227-3084 or email jamiller@wcu.edu.