Soaring to Victory Football Operations Center
I “This building will be one of the finest facilities of its kind in the entire country. It will allow us to recruit, train, and develop the highest-caliber student-athletes. ”
don’t have to tell you that athletics is important to Georgia Southern University. And I probably don’t have to tell you that football is the jewel in our athletic crown. All one has to do is attend a game at Paulson Stadium and see the six national championship flags flying proudly above the stands. Even more magnificent is the sight of Freedom, Georgia Southern’s bald eagle, soaring above the crowd before the game begins. Just as important to Georgia Southern is our focus on academic excellence for our students. There is a reason they are called “student-athletes.” We expect our student-athletes to be just as successful in the classroom as they are on the field. The Athletics’ Rings & Diplomas program strives to help each of
our 400 student-athletes win a championship ring and earn their diploma. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that the coaches and athletes have all they need to be successful in both endeavors. The construction of a new football operations center in the east end zone of Paulson Stadium is a major investment in our efforts to position our football program as a perennial national contender. This building will be one of the finest facilities of its kind in the entire country. It will allow us to recruit, train, and develop the highest-caliber studentathletes. It will also help other athletic programs at the University by providing better space utilization and training for over two-thirds of our athletes in other sports.
As competition for the best student-athletes becomes more fierce every year, we must do all that we can to further position our football program as a national powerhouse. Our alumni and supporters are vocal in their desire to see a seventh national championship flag fly above Paulson Stadium and a return to the “Glory Days.” I personally invite you to join many others as we strive to make this dream come true. Our combined efforts today will ensure our future success, and you will have the heartfelt thanks of a great Eagle Nation.
Go Eagles! Brooks A. Keel, Ph.D. President
G
eorgia Southern Football’s unprecedented six National Championships, eight Southern Conference Titles, three national Player of the Year recipients, and over seventy All-Americans are the benchmark for football programs across the nation at the FCS level. Our history and tradition are second to none at any level, and the importance of football at our University, and in our community, is the envy of programs throughout collegiate sports. As one of college football’s elite programs, GSU has been able to attract some incredibly talented athletes, many
of whom have become legends among our Eagle faithful…Ham, Smith, Hill, Stokes, Peterson, Foster to name a few. Countless players have received national honors and several have played professionally after their great careers at Georgia Southern. Along with that, we have fielded championship teams by taking pride in the hallmarks of our program, inspired by Erk Russell’s leadership in his first teams, having a blue-collar work ethic and a never-say-die attitude. Through the years, and the championships, we have built our facilities, both out of necessity and in an attempt to keep up with our competition. Though we have been the standard for others in terms of our on-the-field success, we have continually had to overcome facility issues in competing for prospects and
in player development. We are now at the point where we have fallen behind. We are no longer competitive in recruiting with many programs, in particular, FCS powers like Appalachian State. Frankly stated, our operations facilities are far inferior to top programs and are creating challenges for us to win in recruiting and on the field. With the construction of the proposed 57,000 square foot football operations center in the east end zone of Paulson Stadium, our facilities will be among the best in FCS football and rival many FBS programs. The facility will not only create the recruiting advantage that we desire, but will allow us to better train and prepare our team to continue to play championship level football and position us to be an elite program
at this level for decades to come. It will also give us the necessary facility to be a viable candidate for a move up if repositioning of college football conferences takes place in the coming years. It’s my job to see that each one of our student-athletes is honored with a championship ring and a diploma from Georgia Southern University. I am proud to be a part of a team that supports these same goals for our young people. Please join us as we work to ensure that “Rings and Diplomas” is fulfilled.
Respectfully, Jeff Monken Head Football Coach
Above: Lanier Drive View / Erk Russell Plaza
Football Operations Center
Location: East end of Paulson Stadium on Lanier Drive
Proposed building size: 57,000 square feet
Fundraising goal: $10,000,000*
* Largest privately funded project in the history
of Georgia Southern University.
Main Floor
Naming Opportunities:
Co-Building Naming Gift Hall of Fame Team Meeting Room Players’ Lounge Erk Russell Plaza Head Coach’s Office Offensive Conference Room Defensive Conference Room Welcome Center / Reception
$1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 $500,000 $250,000 $250,000 $250,000 $250,000 $250,000
Video Production Suite Coordinator Office Player Personnel Office Recruiting Coordinator Office Position Coach Office Large Position Meeting Room Staff Break Room Staff Work Room Video Production Staff Office
$150,000 $100,000 (2) $50,000 $50,000 $50,000 (10) $50,000 (2) $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 (3)
Position Meeting Room Catering Kitchen Head Coach Admin Asst Academic Center Main Floor Men’s Restroom Main Floor Women’s Restroom Video Production Room (Green / Archive)
$25,000 (4) $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 (2)
Above: Paulson Field View
Above: Paulson Field View
“You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren.” - William Henry Hudson
Lower Floor
Naming Opportunities:
Locker Room Weight Room Sports Medicine / Rehabilitation Center Equipment Room Tracy Ham Locker / Display Sponsorship Adrian Peterson Locker / Display Sponsorship Hydrotherapy Rehabilitation Room Coaches’ Locker Room Staff Office
$500,000 $500,000 $500,000 $250,000 $250,000 $250,000 $150,000 $50,000 $25,000 (7)
Physicians’ Examination Room Game Day Equipment Room Nutrition Room Laundry Room Team Showers Women’s Staff Managers’ Locker Room Men’s Staff Managers’ Locker Room Player Shoe Room
$25,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000 $10,000
Soaring to Victory Football Operations Center
Georgia Southern University Athletic Foundation P.O. BOX 8115-01 STATESBORO, GEORGIA 30460-8115
1-912-478-5520 www.ringsanddiplomas.com