Sullivan-Cooney Family Field House

Prior to the start of practice for the 2009 season, the Samford football program moved into the Cooney Family Field House . During the 2014 season, the facility was renamed in honor of then head coach Pat Sullivan and is now known as the Sullivan-Cooney Family Field House .

The field house houses a locker room, players’ lounge, training room, weight room, equipment room, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms and a film room .

The field house, which is 39,400 square feet, cost approximately $8 million dollars, with all money privately donated .

The Cooney Family Field House was made possible with a lead gift from Birmingham business executive and Samford graduate Gary Cooney, vice chairman of McGriff, Seibels & Williams, Inc ., one of the nation’s leading insurance brokerage firms .

Cooney said he wanted to honor his parents, the late John and Patricia Cooney, and other family members with the naming .

“Our family has a long history with Samford, and my hope is that these gifts will encourage others to support this great university,” Cooney said at the time of the dedication . “We have great confidence in the leadership of Dr . Westmoreland and our good friend, Coach Pat Sullivan, and we want to help have a positive influence on young student-athletes . ”

Cooney graduated from Samford in 1974 . He was a member of the school’s 1971 team that won the NCAA Division II West Region Championship .