Lyons speaks: Facilities
Numerous facility renovations and future projects are in the works for the West Virginia athletic program according to athletic director Shane Lyons.
During Wednesday’s press conference, Lyons provided updates to the ongoing athletic facility renovations and announced several future projects, including a masterplan for West Virginia’s athletic facilities, emphasizing the department’s vision for the future.
“My goal is to continue to focus on our facilities,” Lyons said. “My theory with this is you have to continue to build and look at the future.”
On the Football side, Lyons said that the west side concourse renovation of Milan Puskar Stadium is on schedule and he admired the progress of the renovations. According to Lyons, the west side concourse renovation will feature widened areas, fan enhancements, and additional concession stands.
A new videoboard in the north endzone is also among some of the newest renovations.
“I think the stadium looks the best it's ever looked in its history,” Lyons said. “Mountaineer Field is something pretty special and that’s what we want it to be.”
Lyons also mentioned that new football projects are in the works. This fall, an architectural firm will be looking at renovating the locker rooms, the medical area outside the locker rooms, and the Puskar Center as a whole which would include new team rooms and offices.
As far as the Coliseum area goes, Lyons said that he’ll continue to focus on an Olympic sports weight room which ran over cost and got behind schedule due to the renovations at the Coliseum.
Perhaps the most significant renovation project is the future home of West Virginia’s men’s and women’s swimming and diving and track and cross country teams.
The University officially announced on Wednesday that construction has begun for the new Mountaineer Center in Mylan Park which will feature two different opening phases with the track and cross country complex opening in the fall of 2018 and the aquatic venues opening in the spring of 2019 according to a University press release.
The estimated $40 million facility will be used by West Virginia, local high schools and community.
“I couldn’t be more pleased from the athletic department, but from the community as a whole what that will mean to Morgantown,” Lyons said.
According to the press release, the track and cross country complex will feature an eight-lane competition track, several areas for field events, a seating area for more than 1,000 spectators and a walking track which will be available to the community.
An eight-lane pool, a separate competition diving pool with multiple diving platforms and an outdoor splash, patio and cardio area are among some of the features for the 90,050-square-foot Aquatic Center.
Last year, West Virginia athletics achieved arguably its most success with six teams earning a national ranking in top-20 and 14 out of the 18 teams earning above a 3.0 overall GPA.
Now, Lyons looks to expand and act on the department’s vision for the future in providing both coaches and student athletes the best care and hospitality in the effort to maintain Mountaineer tradition and success.
“They spend a lot of time in these facilities,” Lyons said. “My goal is to make these first class facilities to obviously retain coaches, recruit the best student athletes, and have them feel that this is their home.”
