Hokies expand strength and conditioning center
Revamped training facility features $4.5M in upgrades
Keeping up with the Sabans and the Swinneys in the college football facilities arms race is getting more and more challenging, but Virginia Tech has made a move with the unveiling of a significant strength and conditioning upgrade.
Spending $4.5 million in donations to complete the project, Virginia Tech announced Tuesday it has renovated and expanded its football strength and conditioning facilities from about 6,900 square feet to more than 12,300 square feet.
“Continued facilities upgrades like these are vital for our program to remain competitive,” Virginia Tech Justin Fuente said in a statement. “On behalf of our entire team and staff, we sincerely appreciate our generous donors who contributed to this project as well as the purchase of new equipment to properly outfit the strength and conditioning center. These additions mark another positive step
as we seek to improve the areas that impact and touch our student-athletes on a daily basis.”
Virginia Tech added a custom-designed 24-rack system to its strength and conditioning area, which features natural light provided by floor-to-ceiling glass, a built-in artificial turf surface with hashmarks for agility training and a folding glass door that leads to an outdoor training area and the football practice fields. A panoramic view of the football practice fields and indoor practice facility can be seen from inside the strength
and conditioning center.
The strength and conditioning offices have been relocated, offering new space for a refueling station that includes recovery shakes, snacks, water and recovery beverage coolers and other refrigeration units.
Last season, the football team started using nine new position meeting rooms that were also part of the renovation and expansion. In the meeting rooms, there’s the same oversized seating that’s in the main team meeting room, and plaques and graphics honoring past
all-conference players and program greats for each individual unit.
“These improvements will help our staff bring out the full potential of our student-athletes,” Tech associate athletic director for strength and conditioning Ben Hilgart said in the statement. “The design of this facility was carefully conceived to maximize the training experience for our football team from the moment they enter to the instant they leave.”