Scott Satterfield, John Cunningham, and More Discuss New Athletics Facility at Groundbreaking Ceremony

Cincinnati is building a facility for all sports to utilize.

CINCINNATI — The University of Cincinnati held its groundbreaking ceremony for the new indoor practice facility and performance center on Tuesday courtesy of the largest donation in school history from the Sheakley family.

Larry and Rhonda Sheakley attended the event and helped break ground, as did UC athletic director John Cunningham.

"Ever since I started here in January 2020, this was the facility everybody talked about," Cunningham said in a press release. "It was fitting of our program, particularly football, as well as all 18 sports since they will use this facility. The real neat thing that will be a game-changer is the nutrition center that will fuel all of our student-athletes. That's Big 12 and Power-5 level, and we can only do it because of our fanbase and donors that support us."

The amenities include a 120-yard football/athletics field, as well as a 96,000-square-foot performance center housing football offices, nutrition stations, a weight room, and mental health services among other things.

The football field is scheduled for completion ahead of the 2024 season while the entire state-of-the-art endeavor should wrap up in 2025.

"Going back to when I first spoke with John Cunningham and President Pinto, and they said we're doing that, that was a huge recruiting sale for me," head football coach Scott Satterfield said in the release. "I wanted to be part of a university investing in football. I said 'that's nice,' but when I saw the renderings, I was literally blown away. It's incredible. I've been able to see inside some of it and what we're gonna be able to do. They've done a phenomenal job at planning and enhancing the student-athlete experience."

Leaders like university president Neville Pinto and Cunningham want this built as a marquee landmark for all UC students and alumni to be proud of. Longtime fan and lead donor Larry Sheakley is already an impressed member of the Bearcats faithful

"It's amazing," Sheakley said in the release. "I grew up a Bearcat fan since I was a kid. My mom and dad were huge fans. This has been a blessing. They showed me the plans two weeks ago, and I couldn't believe it. I should have known the university would do something like that, since they are so well-known as an architecture school. I don't know what vision I had; I thought it would be a square box where they practiced football, but I had no idea it would look like an opera house. It's just beautiful."

Breaking ground on a new era in Cincinnati Athletics. 👷‍♂️

Today the @uofcincy community celebrated the groundbreaking of our Indoor Practice Facility and Performance Center.

📝: https://t.co/McdOQORxAA pic.twitter.com/jgAFzEZMTx

— Cincinnati Bearcats (@GoBEARCATS) May 23, 2023

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