Photo by: DU Athletics
DU announced Friday aftenoon that the strength and conditioning complex in the new soccer stadium will be named for Pat Bowlen, owner of the Denver Broncos who donated a reported $1.5 million toward the soccer stadium and strength complex project.
The stadium’s total cost was $6.3 million and it took almost two years to complete.
The 10,000-square foot training facility is located beneath the soccer stadium seating and was dedicated as the Pat Bowlen Training Center last week.
“When I look at this university now I think of a university that is one of the best private institutions in the United States,” said Bowlen at the dedication.
Bowlen, who has been a member of the DU Board of Trustees since 1987, was present at a ceremony held last Friday at the Ritchie Center.Chancellor Robert Coombe introduced Bowlen at the ceremony.
The Pat Bowlen Training Center will be attached to west side of the Ritchie Center.
“Today is a celebration, it is a celebration for the entire Pioneer community” said Peg Bradley Doppes, the vice chancellor for Athletics and Recreation. “This training facility is one of a kind and it is one of the last jewels in the crown called the Daniel L. Ritchie Center.”
The Pat Bowlen Training Center was constructed simultaneously with CIBER Field, DU’s new soccer stadium and will include 12 Olympic lifting stations and a 66-yard turf track for speed and agility training.
In addition the new strength and condition complex will have warm-up areas, cardio and rehabilitation stations and an equipped video screening room.
All 17 athletic teams are supposed to use the facility to get better physically as well as mentally.
“I think it will be a terrific asset,” said Bowlen.
This past season DU has seen lots of athletic success. The hockey team was Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season champions and earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA championship tournament.
The ski team won its 21 NCAA National title, its third consecutive, while the women’s soccer and golf team continued their dominance in the Sun Belt Conference.
In addition, the men’s lacrosse and tennis team have seen a lot of success this spring, both teams are heading to the NCAA National tournaments for their respective sports.
Representing the student athletes were senior Natasha Davies from the girl’s lacrosse team and senior Dillon Roy from the men’s lacrosse team.
“As a senior I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to see the completion of such a monumental benefit for our university,” said Roy.
“The blood, sweat and tears that are shed in this room will translate into countless wins, conference championships, and more national titles,” he said.
With a new training facility to call home, every athletic team at DU just got a little stronger, but more importantly a lot better.
Finally finished
- With the dedication of the Pat Bowlen Training Center, the $6.3 million soccer stadium and strength complex project is finally complete.
- The project began more than 18 months ago in November 2008.
- In April, the University of Denver Soccer Stadium was dedicated as Ciber, Inc. Field. The field finished construction in the summer of 2009, both soccer teams played there homes games there in 2009.
- The strength complex will be obtainable for all 17 Division I athletic programs at DU to use.
