High Point University Breaking Ground on New Athletic Facility

High Point University plans to break ground on a new 31,500-square-foot Athletic Performance Center for its student-athletes at Vert Stadium this fall. The $9 million facility will house the Panthers' growing athletics program which now includes NCAA Div. I men's and women's lacrosse. The Panther Club, the university's athletic booster club, committed $3 million toward the project.

"The commitment that High Point University is showing to academics and athletics is part of an overall 10-year transformational plan that serves the needs of our students and supports the programs of our faculty," said Dr. Nido Qubein, president of High Point University.

The Athletic Performance Center will house a 120-seat academic center, including upgraded technology and space to support HPU's student-athletes in the classroom. The facility will also house a new athletic training center, which will aid in injury prevention, treatment and the rehabilitation process of HPU's student-athletes. It includes a hydrotherapy area with a Hydroworx in-ground cold whirlpool and an underwater treadmill.

The facility will include new locker rooms and lounges for the men's and women's lacrosse teams and the men's and women's soccer teams. A hospitality suite located on the third floor will overlook the field, and a media area and video production area will be on the second floor. The first-class media area will allow the Panthers to be featured more prominently on television broadcasts and high definition streaming video. Offices for coaches and support staff members will be located in the building as well.

HPU's women's lacrosse team has already won multiple conference championships and advanced to this year's NCAA Tournament, while the men's lacrosse team recently completed its inaugural season. The women's soccer team has been to the NCAA Tournament four times since 2003 and the men's soccer team reached No. 23 in the national rankings in 2012.

"We are excited to announce the construction phase of the Athletic Performance Center at High Point University," said HPU Athletic Director Craig Keilitz. "The academic center will support all of our student-athletes on a daily basis and the athletic training center will be a phenomenal resource for all of our programs. We expect great success on and off the field from our lacrosse and soccer programs and this is another piece to achieve that. We are fortunate for the support that Dr. Qubein gives to athletics here at High Point University."

In April, the university announced plans for a new Center for Student Success and facilities for its School of Health Sciences and proposed School of Pharmacy.

According to Jon Torpey, head coach of men's lacrosse, "The Athletic Performance Center is going to be such a tremendous asset to not only our program but the entire High Point University family. The project speaks volumes of the dedication and support the University has for athletics. Having had the opportunity to visit and coach at universities with tremendous lacrosse facilities, I truly believe the Athletic Performance Center will be one of the finest in the country upon its completion. It's dream come true and we can hardly wait for the day we can make it our permanent home."

Lyndsey Boswell, head coach of women's lacrosse, pointed out, "From day one, our program has received great support from the University and this further exemplifies HPU's commitment to athletics. The new facility will have all of the resources our student-athletes need to compete at the highest level and it will help attract top-notch lacrosse players. It's a unique advantage that all of our player development resources will be in one location and I'm confident that this will help us take bigger steps on the national level."

Dustin Fonder, head coach of men's soccer, stated, "It's really exciting to have a facility of this magnitude being built on campus. We already had great facilities and this is making it even better. Our team will be very grateful for this new home. It will help us recruit at a higher level and help us continue to compete at a higher level. The Athletic Performance Center will be one of the best facilities in the country."

Marty Beall, head coach of women's soccer, noted, "The Athletic Performance Center will truly change the dynamics of our recruiting. We will have one of the nicest facilities in the nation. The academic center will help our student-athletes greatly in terms of academic development. The athletic training center will be state-of-the-art and help keep our athletes on the field and healthy."

High Point University competes at the NCAA Div. I level in 16 varsity sports. Every sport competes in the Big South Conference except men's lacrosse, which will compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference starting in 2014. Since 2010, HPU teams have earned bids to NCAA Tournaments for lacrosse, soccer, track & field and volleyball. The Panther Club is a booster organization that has been supporting HPU Athletics since 1965, particularly through scholarships and facility improvements.

At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people.? HPU, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, is a liberal arts institution with over 4,200 undergraduate and graduate students. It is ranked by U.S. News and World Report at No. 1 among Regional Colleges in the South and No. 1 among Up and Coming Regional Colleges in the South. Parade Magazine lists HPU in the top 25 private schools in the nation. HPU was selected in the 2013-2014 list of "Colleges of Distinction." The university offers 44 undergraduate majors, 43 undergraduate minors and 11 graduate degree programs. Visit High Point University on the Web at highpoint.edu.