New athletics facilities projects will enhance experience for six Carolina teams

Construction and renovation will soon begin on a new practice facility and locker room improvements for women’s basketball; a new sports medicine facility in the Kenan Football Center for football; a new practice facility and course improvements at Finley Golf Course for men’s and women’s golf; and a new outdoor stadium and practice courts at the Cone-Kenfield Tennis Center for men’s and women’s tennis. The four new facility projects have been approved by the UNC Board of Trustees and the UNC System Board of Governors. Fundraising efforts through The Rams Club are underway for all of the projects.

“Our coaches build programs with a commitment to providing the best experience possible for our student-athletes, and having modern, elite facilities is an important part of that process,” Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham said. “We appreciate the support of the UNC System Board of Governors and UNC Board of Trustees in moving forward with these important enhancements, and we thank our Rams Club members whose generous donations make these upgrades possible. These projects will continue to give Tar Heel student-athletes the tools to grow as leaders, teammates and competitors.”

The facility improvements are a critical part of the University’s ongoing “For All Kind” Campaign for Carolina and The Rams Club’s Campaign for Carolina Athletics — an effort to secure the future of Carolina Athletics through gifts in support of scholarships, team support and facilities. This fundraising campaign has resulted in other critical facility projects that have touched nearly all of Carolina’s 28 varsity sports programs, including the Bill Koman Indoor Practice Complex, the Dorrance Field (Soccer and Lacrosse), the Karen Shelton Stadium (Field Hockey), the Eddie Smith Field House, a new track complex, practice fields and more.

“Carolina has so many generous people who care so greatly for our student-athletes and our athletics program,” says John Montgomery, Executive Director of The Rams Club. “Rams Club members want our student-athletes to train and compete at a level that matches this University’s commitment to student development. The early response to these projects demonstrates the high level of enthusiasm Carolina supporters have for all of our programs. We look forward to talking with more people about how they can invest in the future of our student-athletes.”

Women’s basketball practice facility and locker room enhancements

The Women’s Basketball program’s new dedicated practice facility will be adjacent to Carmichael Arena, built within the Woollen Gym footprint. It will be easily accessible from the team’s locker room area, allowing student-athletes to utilize the area. It will feature a full court, teaching stations utilizing modern instructional technologies, a state-of-the-art video system and ample storage and equipment for the team. The locker room and shower areas will also be improved, building on the enhancements to the team meeting area completed in 2019. The project cost is approximately $6 million dollars and is expected to begin later this spring and be completed during the fall 2022 semester.

Learn more about the women’s basketball project

Football sports medicine facility

A new sports medicine facility will be built on the northwest corner of the existing Kenan Football Center, providing state-of-the-art space to meet the medical and rehabilitation needs of the 120 football student-athletes. Additionally, the adjacent team lounge will be updated to offer relaxation and study spaces for the team. This project is an initial phase of future improvements to the Kenan Football Center, and is expected to begin in March 2022, and be completed in March 2023. The cost for this phase is $15 million.

Learn more about the sports medicine facility project

Men’s and women’s golf practice complex and Finley Golf Course improvements

A new practice complex will be built on the current holes 10 and 11 at Finley Golf Course, giving the Men’s and Women’s Golf student-athletes a dedicated space to work on all aspects of their games. The complex will include practice areas for short game, approach shots, putting, driving and more. Improvements to the full course include the construction of two new holes (with two holes lost to the practice area), the reshaping of other holes, new greens and tee boxes, and a “flip” of the course with the current Hole 12 becoming Hole 1. The practice range is the first phase of the project, with a new team building designed for Phase 2 of the project. The cost for this phase is $13 million, and it is expected to begin in Fall, 2022, and be completed in late summer of 2023.

Learn more about the golf practice complex and golf course improvements project

Men’s and women’s tennis facility

The Tennis project also includes multiple phases. This initial phase will include the construction of a new stadium with state-of-the-art competition and practice courts for student-athletes. Additional amenities include elevated stadium seating, championship lighting and a modern scoring system. Future phases will include a new team building and improvements to the indoor competition areas. The cost for this initial phase is $17 million, and it is expected to begin in March 2022, and be completed in early spring 2023.

Learn more about the tennis facility project