EMPORIA STATE BEGINS ATHLETICS WEIGHT ROOM CAMPAIGN

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June 17, 2009-The Emporia State Athletic Department is nearly half way to their goal of $210,000 to renovate and expand the ESU Athletics Weight Room into one of the top facilities in the MIAA.

"This project will put our strength and conditioning facilities on par with anyone in the nation at the Division II level," said ESU head football coach Garin Higgins.

The renovation will expand the current "Hornet's Nest" from 2,460 square feet to over 4,300 square feet and includes state of the art equipment. That will place ESU in the top third of the MIAA in terms of weight room size. When the current Hornet track and field weight room, located on the lower level of the HPER Building, is added to the total ESU will have over 6,000 square feet dedicated to athletic strength and conditioning.

"Although the most important part of strength and conditioning is to lift heavy stuff fast, the added space will allow us to bring in more state of the art equipment in order provide the most up to date training techniques for our student-athletes," said ESU strength and conditioning coach Matt Walter. "The added space will also make for a safer environment to work out in."

All of the Hornet Athletic teams with the exception of track and field/cross country share the current Hornet's Nest weight room. The current set-up allows no more than 30 student-athletes in the room at one time. With the expansion up to 50 student-athletes will be able to work out at one time.

"This is going to help our time management a bunch," said ESU baseball coach Bob Fornelli. "This will allow our entire team to work out at the same time rather than having to split into groups."

To make room for the expansion, the Hornet men's basketball team's player's lounge will move to a new location in the HPER Building.

For additionall information about the project or to make a donation, contact ESU Associate Athletic Director Shane Shivley at sshivley@emporia.edu or 620-341-5873. Donations can also be given on-line at www.emporia.edu/give. If you don't already have one, you will need to create an account and in the "make a donation" screen type "Athletic Weight Room Remodeling Fund" in the comment box.

Weight Room Expansion Naming Rights

Weight Room	$100,000.00
Hall of Excellence (SOLD)	$75,000.00
Men's Basketball Locker Room	$40,000.00
Power Rack (per rack - 2 SOLD)	$5,000.00
Football Locker (per locker)	$1,000.00
Men's Basketball Locker (per locker)	$1,000.00