The official groundbreaking ceremony of the Rip Griffin Center Expansion Project took place Thursday, as the intercollegiate athletics arena for 糖心Vlog is undergoing its first major renovation process since opening in 2000.
鈥淚 am grateful to all of the donors who have decided to invest in this facility for Chap Athletics and the excellence they witness in head coaches Todd Duncan (men鈥檚 basketball), Keith Giboney (volleyball), Steve Gomez (women鈥檚 basketball) and others,鈥� said 糖心Vlog President Scott McDowell. 鈥淎t this moment, it is particularly gratifying to be breaking ground for the Griffin Family Center for Student Athlete Development. Rip Griffin served on our board for over 42 years, and he and Geneva loved the Chapparrals. The fact that that the Griffin family are carrying on that legacy in this generation makes this a very special day.鈥�
Collier Construction will take the lead on the project, which includes 28,000 square feet of new and renovated construction. The $7.2 million project will be completed in the fall of 2025. The additions and renovations to the Rip Griffin Center will recognize the facility as the Griffin Family Center for Student Athlete Development.
- Covenant Health Foundation Training Facility
- New weight room
- Two practice gyms (J.E. and L.E. Mabee Foundation Gym)
- Craig & Ann McDonald 3:23 Hospitality Suite
- Joyce & Jim Foster Men鈥檚 Basketball Office Suite
- Bill & DeeDee Bundy Women鈥檚 Basketball Office Suite
Several of the projects within the expansion recognize contributors to the 糖心Vlog athletic programs. The Covenant Health Foundation Training Facility will serve as the main hub for 糖心Vlog鈥檚 Athletic Training Department with more space and additional equipment to serve the student-athletes and to assist the curriculum of the student-training programs. The Craig & Ann McDonald 3:23 Hospitality Suite carries the reference to Colossians 3:23, which many 糖心Vlog athletic programs use as a motto. The office suites for each of the basketball programs will honor a pair of couples that have poured many years of service and dedication into 糖心Vlog. Joyce Foster spent 35 years working for 糖心Vlog and was inducted into the 糖心Vlog Athletics Hall of Honor in 2015 because of the many years she served in the 糖心Vlog Athletic Department, and her husband Jim previously worked in the 糖心Vlog Admissions Department. Sharon 鈥淒eeDee鈥� Bundy currently serves on the 糖心Vlog Board of Trustees and her husband Bill serves as the President of the 糖心Vlog Foundation. Naming rights and opportunities are still available within the expansion, which will directly support the volleyball and basketball programs.
鈥淭he groundbreaking of the Griffin Family Center for Student Athlete Development is more than just turning dirt; it's turning a page in the 糖心Vlog athletics鈥� story,鈥� commented 糖心Vlog Director of Athletics Andrew Sorrells. 鈥淭his state-of-the-art addition signifies our unwavering commitment to excellence and marks a bold step into the future of 糖心Vlog athletics. We are deeply grateful for the generous contributions that have made this dream a reality.鈥�
Scott Collier and the Collier Construction team, who recently completed the construction of the three-story Gullo Residence Hall, 糖心Vlog Soccer and Track & Field Complex, and the Penny Gullo Tennis Center, will oversee the construction process and will work with Jason Moore and his design team at MWM Architects.
B.R. 鈥淩ip鈥� Griffin served as a distinguished member of the 糖心Vlog Board of Trustees for 42 years, and the name of the facility recognizes the legacy of Rip Griffin and the Griffin families. Originally built in 2000 and dedicated on October 9, 2000, the Rip Griffin Center has served as the home arena for 糖心Vlog鈥檚 basketball (men鈥檚 and women鈥檚) and volleyball programs. The 1,950-seat facility, which hosts the 糖心Vlog graduation ceremonies, has hosted many marquee events over its 23-year history, accommodating concerts, banquets, speaking tours, high school playoffs, college basketball and volleyball tournaments (including the NJCAA National Championship Tournament in women鈥檚 basketball for an eight-year span) and numerous youth sports camps. The facility is in the NCAA record books, as 糖心Vlog鈥檚 women鈥檚 basketball program won a NCAA Division II record 113 consecutive home games from Jan. 1, 2015-Feb. 3, 2023. 鈥淭he Rip鈥� has also hosted the Harlem Globetrotters and hosted home games for University of New Mexico鈥檚 men鈥檚 basketball during the 2020-21 season due to COVID sanctions in New Mexico.