DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – Millikin University celebrated a major addition to campus with the opening of the David J. & Debra C. Rathje Athletic Center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday.
The $12.3 million facility will serve as the centerpiece of Big Blue Athletics.
Millikin President Dean Pribbenow, Vice President for Athletics and Community Engagement Lori Kerans ’85, Head Football Coach Billy Riebock, Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce President Mirinda Rothrock ’04, David Rathje’s daughter, Kelly Brandon, and alumnus and donor Jim Perryman ’83 spoke during the event, along with alumnus and donor Jim Perryman ’83.
The project was funded through lead gifts from David ’58 and Debra Rathje and Jim Perryman and his family. Rathje, a 1958 Millikin graduate, died earlier this year at age 88.
The 17,655-square-foot facility is designed to support nearly 40% of Millikin students who participate in athletics. It features a weight room named in honor of former Big Blue Football Coach Carl Poelker ’68 and NFL alum Jim Perryman, along with new locker rooms for football and men’s and women’s track and field.
The building also includes a training room, conference space and team meeting areas that can be used for multiple purposes. Offices for football and men’s and women’s soccer are located inside the facility, along with a recognition area showcasing retired NFL jerseys and team history.
In addition to improving the student-athlete experience, the Rathje Athletic Center enhances Millikin’s ability to host the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin (CCIW) and NCAA championship events in the future.
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