Indiana University Holds Official Groundbreaking for Wilkinson Hall
11/10/2017 1:46:00 PM | General, Women's Volleyball, Wrestling, Varsity Club
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – An exciting chapter begins today for Indiana University Athletics, as IU held the official groundbreaking ceremony for a new, state-of-the-art, 3,000-seat multi-use facility - Wilkinson Hall.
Wilkinson Hall will serve as a multi-use training and performance center and as the home venue for the Hoosier Volleyball and Wrestling programs. It will be located immediately north of Cook Hall at the intersection of 17th Street and Fee Lane. Consistent with the university's master plan, the facility will bring those two programs' home competitions back onto the IU Athletics campus from their current University Gymnasium home at the intersection of 10th Street and the 45/46 bypass.
In addition, Wilkinson Hall will provide the entire Indiana University Athletic Department and its programs with a new top-flight facility for year-round training, and will serve as a venue to host department and university events.
It is scheduled to open in September of 2018.
Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie presided over the groundbreaking ceremony, which took place in the D. Ames Shuel Academic Center in Memorial Stadium. Others making remarks included Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass, IU Volleyball Coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan, IU Wrestling Coach Duane Goldman, benefactor Jay Wilkinson as well as student-athletes Elizabeth Asdell (Volleyball) and Jake Danishek (Wrestling).
Wilkinson Hall is named after IU alumnus Jay Wilkinson and his family, in recognition of their $10 million major gift to the "For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign." This is the latest and largest gift from the Wilkinson family, which has an incredible history of support for IU Athletics and its student-athletes.
"The new Wilkinson Hall will strengthen our popular programs in wrestling and volleyball, two sports with very rich history, and it will give student-athletes the resources they need to compete at the very highest level," said McRobbie. "Indiana University is deeply grateful to Jay Wilkinson, his late wife, Nancy, and their family, for their remarkable generosity, which has already had a transformative impact on IU Athletics and will continue to have an impact on IU's student-athletes for many years to come."
In addition to their $10 million gift toward the construction of Wilkinson Hall, the family has also supported IU Athletics in countless other ways. In 2012, the family donated $1 million toward the North End Zone's strength and conditioning facility, which was renamed the W. Jay and Nancy Wilkinson Performance Center. In 2016, the family endowed the Nancy Wilkinson Athletic Scholarship in honor of Jay's late wife.
Jay, meanwhile, currently serves on the Varsity Club's National Board of Directors.
"We are incredibly grateful to Jay and the entire Wilkinson family who have had an immeasurable impact on IU Athletics in numerous ways, of which this is just the latest example," Glass said. "Today's groundbreaking represents a huge step toward completion of the university's master plan, consistent with President McRobbie's vision to accomplish just that. IU Athletics is also deeply grateful to President McRobbie. Without his support, Wilkinson Hall and our other infrastructure advances would not have been possible."
For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign is taking place on all IU-administered campuses including IU Bloomington, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. The campaign will conclude in December 2019 to coincide with IU's bicentennial year celebration in 2020. To learn more about the campaign, its impact, and how to participate, please visit forall.iu.edu.
Wilkinson Hall will serve as a multi-use training and performance center and as the home venue for the Hoosier Volleyball and Wrestling programs. It will be located immediately north of Cook Hall at the intersection of 17th Street and Fee Lane. Consistent with the university's master plan, the facility will bring those two programs' home competitions back onto the IU Athletics campus from their current University Gymnasium home at the intersection of 10th Street and the 45/46 bypass.
In addition, Wilkinson Hall will provide the entire Indiana University Athletic Department and its programs with a new top-flight facility for year-round training, and will serve as a venue to host department and university events.
It is scheduled to open in September of 2018.
Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie presided over the groundbreaking ceremony, which took place in the D. Ames Shuel Academic Center in Memorial Stadium. Others making remarks included Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass, IU Volleyball Coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan, IU Wrestling Coach Duane Goldman, benefactor Jay Wilkinson as well as student-athletes Elizabeth Asdell (Volleyball) and Jake Danishek (Wrestling).
Wilkinson Hall is named after IU alumnus Jay Wilkinson and his family, in recognition of their $10 million major gift to the "For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign." This is the latest and largest gift from the Wilkinson family, which has an incredible history of support for IU Athletics and its student-athletes.
"The new Wilkinson Hall will strengthen our popular programs in wrestling and volleyball, two sports with very rich history, and it will give student-athletes the resources they need to compete at the very highest level," said McRobbie. "Indiana University is deeply grateful to Jay Wilkinson, his late wife, Nancy, and their family, for their remarkable generosity, which has already had a transformative impact on IU Athletics and will continue to have an impact on IU's student-athletes for many years to come."
In addition to their $10 million gift toward the construction of Wilkinson Hall, the family has also supported IU Athletics in countless other ways. In 2012, the family donated $1 million toward the North End Zone's strength and conditioning facility, which was renamed the W. Jay and Nancy Wilkinson Performance Center. In 2016, the family endowed the Nancy Wilkinson Athletic Scholarship in honor of Jay's late wife.
Jay, meanwhile, currently serves on the Varsity Club's National Board of Directors.
"We are incredibly grateful to Jay and the entire Wilkinson family who have had an immeasurable impact on IU Athletics in numerous ways, of which this is just the latest example," Glass said. "Today's groundbreaking represents a huge step toward completion of the university's master plan, consistent with President McRobbie's vision to accomplish just that. IU Athletics is also deeply grateful to President McRobbie. Without his support, Wilkinson Hall and our other infrastructure advances would not have been possible."
For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign is taking place on all IU-administered campuses including IU Bloomington, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. The campaign will conclude in December 2019 to coincide with IU's bicentennial year celebration in 2020. To learn more about the campaign, its impact, and how to participate, please visit forall.iu.edu.
Players Mentioned
/ Wrestling
FB: Under The Hood - Week 3 (Indiana State)
Thursday, September 11
FB: Elijah Sarratt Media Availability (9/9/25)
Tuesday, September 09
FB: Roman Hemby Media Availability (9/9/25)
Tuesday, September 09
FB: Under the Hood with Indiana Football - Week 2 (Kennesaw State)
Thursday, September 04