Indiana Volleyball Breaks Ground on New Facility, Set for 2018 Opening

Indiana volleyball is getting a new home, with a scheduled move in date of September 2018.

The IU Athletics Department officially broke ground on the state-of-the-art, 3,000-seat multi-use facility dubbed Wilkinson Hall, on Nov. 10.

In addition the volleyball squad, the Hoosier wrestling team also will call the building home. The training and performance center, set to be located at the intersection of 17th Street and Fee Lane, will replace the teams’ current University Gymnasium location and bring the squads onto the IU Athletic campus.

Wilkinson Hall is named as alum Jay Wilkinson and his family, in recognition of a $10 million gift to the university’s “For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign.”

University President Michael A. McRobbie noted the Wilkinson’s phistory of supporting Hoosier athletics at the groundbreaking.

“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 the most recent $10 million gift, the family endowed a scholarship in 2016 and donated $1 million toward the North End Zone strength and conditioning facility in 2012.

IU Athletics Director Fred Glass also spoke at the event alongside volleyball coach Sherry Dunbar-Kruzan, wrestling coach Duane Goldman and student athltes Elizabeth Asdell (volleyball) and Jake Danishek (wrestling).

“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.”