NIU athletics: Nutrition center, improved weight room part of upgrades on way

Thanks to a leadership gift from Northwestern Medicine, Northern Illinois University will establish the Northwestern Medicine Performance Center, which will directly benefit all Huskie student-athletes, NIU Associate Vice-President and Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier announced Wednesday.

The latest project includes multiple enhancements to the current weight room along with the construction of the Nutrition Center, which will serve all 400 Huskie student-athletes. The changes will include renovation and adjustments within the existing space on the east end of the Yordon Center and Barsema Hall of Champions.

Pending approval by the NIU Board of Trustees, construction on the Northwestern Medicine Performance Center, including the Nutrition Center will begin during the Spring 2019 semester.

“We are extremely grateful to Northwestern Medicine, to the NIU Athletics alumni and a host of other donors who have stepped up to make our performance center and brand new Nutrition Center a reality for the NIU student-athletes of today and of tomorrow,” Frazier said. “There is no doubt this will have a lasting impact on every Huskie program.”

The project will transform the existing weight room in the Yordon Center into a full-service sports performance area, complete with an adjacent Nutrition Center, which is being made possible through the support of Northwestern Medicine as well as a large group of NIU alumni.

Jay Anderson, President of Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital, said the gift is the latest example of the company’s commitment to DeKalb and to its ongoing partnership with Northern Illinois University.

“We are excited to partner with NIU, and provide their student-athletes with access to world-class care,” said Jay Anderson, president of Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital. “We are looking forward to building a premiere comprehensive athletic health and wellness program with the enhancement of the performance center and opening of the Nutrition Center.”

All 17 NIU teams utilize the current weight room, which services Huskie student-athletes year-round.

“Having this will be invaluable from the recruiting side, but the most important thing is that every student-athlete will now have a place right here next to the performance center, in a beautiful setting, that will take our athletes to the next level,” NIU football coach Rod Carey said.