This February, Hillsdale College expects to complete the Margot V. Biermann Athletic Center – a 76,000-square-foot facility that will house four indoor tennis courts and the world’s fastest indoor track.
With six lanes around the oval and nine on the straight- away, the 200-meter-track will encircle the tennis courts and will be covered in the newest Mondotrack rubberized track surface – the same surface used at the London Olympic Stadium and the only other track like it in the world.
This athletic facility – just west of Simpson Baseball Field – will also have coach offices, a mezzanine, and locker rooms for the cross country, track and field, and women’s tennis teams. The facility will be available for stu- dents as well athletes, and will also accommodate large campus events such as commencement, guest lectures and even dances.
On May 11, 2012, the college broke ground on the building site after more than two years of planning and fundraising.
The design for the new building was approved by the college’s board of trustees nearly three years ago, said Athletic Director Don Brubacher.
“We have steadily moved toward construction since, with the more serious planning taking place the last two years,” Bru- bacher said. “The project moved ahead last spring when financial resources became available for its construction.”
Vice President for Admin- istration Richard Péwé said the college was intentional in forming a conservative funding program for the $7.2 million building. The college is us-
ing money granted by Frank Biermann (his late wife, Margot, is the namesake of the build- ing) and also a $50 fee that the college will charge students next spring to fund a short term loan, while Biermann’s individual retirement account funds and a $4 million gift will supply the
money to endow the building. The recession in 2008 prohibited the college from beginning construction sooner.
“When the recession hit, other institutions had been im- petuous about starting projects, financing them, and expecting they would earn an ‘X’ amount of money. A lot were hurt on those things,” Péwé said.
“What’s fortunate is that Dr. Arnn is the kind of president that looks at the long term and doesn’t just think about today and how great it would be to have a new facility. He wants to have the money so he can protect the college.”
Head track and field coach Jeff Forino and women’s tennis coach Nikki Walbright be- lieve that the new facility will improve efficiency and increase recruitment.
Last year the women’s tennis team focused on weight lifting and conditioning during the win- ter months. The indoor courts, however, will allow the tennis athletes to practice even in poor weather.
“It shows we are a serious program and will allow me to really develop tennis players over the course of the year rather than in just the warm months,” Walbright said. Forino said he has already noticed that the facility has impacted recruitment.
Both Forino and Walbright are excited that the facility will allow the team to travel less and host more meets and matches.
“[The track] will attract people to come and compete,” Forino said. “It also gives everyone [on the team] a chance to compete – we won’t have to think about a traveling squad.”
The new athletic center is the first of a three phase plan to improve Hillsdale’s athletic facilities. If funds allow, a $3.5 million renovation of the Jesse Philips Arena could begin in 2013 after basketball season ends. Péwé said plans for new outdoor tennis courts and a mul- tipurpose turf building are also in the works.
