By Harry Minium
NORFOLK, Va. – Old Dominion's football team recently moved into a new, state-of-the-art locker room facility that not only provides the Monarchs with a more expansive and functional space to dress but will also become a valuable recruiting tool.
The 5,036-square foot facility located in the L.R. Hill Sports Complex replaces an outdated locker room built in 2009 when ODU first began playing in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Coach Ricky Rahne said ODU's previous locker room wasn't a facility coaches and players were proud to show off. But that all changed Sunday, when players reported for practice and opened their new lockers for the first time.
"It's awesome," linebacker Jason Henderson said. "It's been a long time coming but sometimes you have to wait for things that are great.
"It's truly amazing."
ODU moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2013 and is playing its first season in the Sun Belt Conference.
Dr. Wood Selig, ODU's director of athletics, said the new locker facility is a "critical component" that ODU needs compete in the Sun Belt, which he calls the nation's premier Group of 5 league.
"This was a much-needed addition for our players, who have been in an outdated locker facility for too long," he said. "But it was also necessary for us to recruit in the Sun Belt.
"Recruits buy with their eyes and this new home for ODU football student-athletes will be just another in a long list of attractive selling points for our football program."
"It's a great upgrade," Rahne added. "It's going to help us recruiting, but more importantly, it's a good space for our guys.
"It's something that feels brighter. Before, it was kind of dark and dingy in there. Now they have enough space and a facility they can feel proud of."
The $3.5 million upgrade was funded entirely with athletic funds, with a large portion raised from private donors by the Old Dominion Athletic Foundation, the university's athletic fundraising organization. No taxpayer dollars were used.
The new facility includes 116 lockers, each 36 inches wide, 36 inches from front to back and 96 inches tall. Manufactured by Longhorn Lockers of Venus, Texas, they have more storage space and amenities than the old lockers. They are similar, although not identical to, lockers that Longhorn built for the University of Texas.
"They're on the bigger side compared to most lockers," said associate athletics director Greg Smith, who was the project manager. "That was by design. We wanted to maximize the use of the area we had for the team and provide more for individuals."
Each locker has a seat with padding and has three different sets of storage space, each kept safe by a digital, combination lock. The lockers are topped with a back-lit screen that includes a photo of each player with their hometowns and high schools below their names. The top storage space, for personal items, includes a plug so that players can charge their phones.
The facility was not designed just for utility – it also pleases the eye. The restroom facility includes 20 showers that are decorated with the kind of blue accent tile, touchless sink fixtures, and lighted mirrors, you expect to find in a luxury hotel.
At least one of the eleven, 55-inch HD televisions is visible from every locker and there is stereo system with 14 recessed JBL speakers with an 800-watt amp.
There are back-lit ODU logos on every locker and at several points on the walls.
And when you walk into the locker room, your eyes are drawn to a mural of the downtown Norfolk skyline with an ODU logo above.
"When recruits come to visit, that's where we envision they will take their pictures," said Bruce Stewart, deputy athletic director and chief operating officer.
"We wanted the locker room to connect with the local community because that's where we draw our support."
The Architectural work was a partnership with the international firm Perkins+Will and regional architect Baskerville. Graphic design was done by national vendor 49 Degrees.
Many of the design elements are not complete, but Rahne said the locker room is now functional, which is why the Monarchs moved in during their bye week.
The outside hallway also had a makeover, and like the locker room, pays homage to the Hampton Roads area with "Seven Cities," "Norfolk" and "757" all a part of new art.
Rahne said, Tim Kovacs, director of football operations, Tristin Iannone, director of player personnel, and Stewart all had input into the design, along with former equipment manager Dan Cornier.
"It turned out kind of how we envisioned it," Rahne said. "And sometimes you don't always get that."
The new facility is just the latest upgrade made to accommodate ODU's move up to the FBS and a corresponding increase in women's athletic teams.
ODU added an 11,000 square foot weight-training facility to the L.R. Hill Sports Complex in 2017. It is also used by the field hockey, women's lacrosse and women's rowing teams.
In 2019, ODU did a $75 million renovation and expansion of S.B. Ballard Stadium.
ODU also added two women's sports teams, rowing and volleyball, and both are in relatively new facilities.
In 2009, ODU opened its 13,000 square foot Rowing Center on the Lafayette River in Norfolk's Lakewood Park, a short drive from ODU. It contains locker space for 60 rowers and 40 rowing machines, in addition to offices and storage facilities.
ODU renovated the basketball court and adjoining offices in the Jim Jarrett Athletic Building into the ODU Volleyball Center in 2020. The court has 900 seats, many with chair-backs. The $3.1 million facility also has an expansive locker room with an adjoining team room and is among the finest facilities in the Group of 5.
Selig has said women's beach volleyball likely will be the next sport ODU adds, although that appears years away.
ODU is also planning for a $20 million makeover of Bud Metheny Baseball Stadium, thanks in part to a $2.5 million donation from local businessman Dennis Ellmer.
"Our goal is for all of our programs to have the facilities they need to compete for championships," Selig said.
"We are constantly looking to improve our facilities."
Wide receiver Ali Jennings III agreed that it will help recruiting.
"It really catches your eye," he said.
But he said it also lifted the spirits of players already at ODU.
"We definitely feel like we now have a space of our own, a place where we can be comfortable and hang out with each other," he said.
"The locker room is a place where a lot of guys get to be with each other, get to know each other, learn things about each other. We're so much more comfortable in the new locker room.
"I'm glad they didn't feel like that they had to rush it, that they took the time they needed.
"Because they got it right."
Minium: New $3.5 Million Locker Room is Latest Upgrade for ODU Football Program
