ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFKnights.com) – As the UCF baseball team returned from winter break, head coach Greg Lovelady had a special surprise waiting for the team when the Knights gathered for their first team meeting of the year – an upgraded locker room.
“Anytime you upgrade facilities it’s a huge plus for the program,” Lovelady said. “The excitement it brings added to the newness makes it an awesome experience. It’s just a vital space for our players. It’s the spot where the camaraderie and brotherhood develop in our program. Having a place like this gives the players a place where they want to hang out more, so they’re at the field more.”
The locker room now features an exposed ceiling and new LED light fixtures to create a much more open space. Every locker was repainted and refinished and received a new UCF branded seat. Each locker will have graphics at its base and at the top, along with a customizable area behind the name plate. The shower room also received new water fixtures and new tile. The athletic training room received a new coat of paint, and the entire building had new carpet put in.
Perhaps the most thrilling addition to the locker room is the six-foot wide structure hanging in the middle with a UCF logo emblazoned on it. Already a dramatic upgrade from the old gold and wood look, the locker room takes a step into the 21st century with an LED light show on the center logo and with fixtures at the base of the lockers that run the entire color spectrum, complete with a multitude of settings.
The entire project was funded through generous donations from UCF supporters that covered the $140,000 price tag.
“It feels like every week something new is being built,” Lovelady added. “It starts with the fantastic leadership from Danny White and his staff. The players are excited. We’re incredibly grateful to everyone who stepped up and helped make this project a reality. This is something that will truly enhance our program. I’m also thankful for Matt Rhodes and his company, not just for the financial component of his donation, but the work that they were able to do in such a short amount of time.”
The locker room, which had largely gone untouched since the baseball building’s completion more than a decade ago, received some much-needed renovations. Alumnus Matt Rhodes, who played two seasons for the Knights in 2004 and 2005 with 46 strikeouts over 41 innings of work, and his organization Rhodes Building Company provided the manpower to complete the renovation, along with a sizeable gift.
“I think that you’ll start to see more proud alumni like me back on campus as this athletic department continues to build momentum,” Rhodes said. “Danny White and his staff have done a great job of putting proven winners like Greg in charge of programs. I felt like it was a great time to make a contribution and that our company had the right skill set to help make this a reality. Anyone who played here understands how this athletic department continues to grow. We have a lot of national notoriety over the last few years. I would encourage alumni to get back on campus. It doesn’t just mean giving money. Come out and support the teams and the student-athletes, because UCF is going to big places.”
UCF BASEBALL LOCKER ROOM RENOVATION
DONOR LIST
Matt '04-05 & Christina Rhodes
Lance & Linda Dearborn
Jamie '03-04 & Anne-Marie Douglas
John & Julie Euliano
E.G. & Candace Fish
Rick & Janice Boggs
Ron & Carolyn Thow
Brian & Lisa Linden
David Rankin '99-00
Dan Winkler '11
Tim Bascom '04-06
Brian Balzer
Mike Douglas
Darren Newlin '04-05
Jimmy Papa '96-97
Steve McClellan '89-90
Alex Garcia '92-93
Jon Henry '90
Paul '08 & Michelle Cinder
Keith & Julie MacKay
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