Kendrigan Gym rededication at Northland College

January 6, 2010

Northland College invites the public to attend the rededication of the Kendrigan Gym on Friday, Jan. 8 at approximately 7 p.m. Following the completion of women’s basketball home-opener, there will be a short program recognizing the completion of the first stage of renovation of the gym facilities.

 

The Kendrigan Gym has enjoyed an extensive overhaul over the last several months, including new bleachers, a new scoring table, new hoops and a fresh paint scheme. “I have been a part of several floor projects at other schools,” says first-year Women’s coach Bill Wilson, “and this is the nicest permanent floor I have seen.”

 

Following a ten-game road trip to open the season as construction continued in the gym, the Northland College men’s and women’s basketball teams will host the University of Minnesota-Morris in their first home games in the new facility Friday. “What little inconvenience we’ve experienced has been well worth the result,” says Coach Wilson. “When the renovations are completed this will be the best basketball facility in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference.”

 

The project was funded by generous gifts from Earl and Drusylla Georgeson of Colorado Springs, Colo., Dr. Ellsworth Alvord Jr. and Nancy Alvord of Seattle, Wash. Additional support came in various quantities, ranging from $5 to several thousand dollars. In addition to monetary gifts, Northland received new treadmills, elliptical machines, and other workout equipment for the school’s weight and fitness rooms, donated by Life Time Fitness.

 

For Northland College, the renovations highlight the commitment of the College to offering services to the Ashland community beyond academic instruction. “The Kendrigan Gym has long been an important fixture in the community. By investing in its renovation, we are also reinvesting in the Ashland community,” says Jim Peterson, interim President of the College. “The Kendrigan Gym has served as an important link between the College and the Chequamegon Bay community for decades. Many community groups and organizations and have participated in programs at the gym in recent years.”

 

John Full of Ashland, WI has been playing pick-up basketball as part of a group of community regulars who visit the gym every weekday at noon. “We love the new floor,” says Full. “When we first saw it, it was like night and day.”

 

Another pick-up regular, John Hebert, grew up playing basketball in the Kendrgian Gym before moving on to play college ball for the University of Wisconsin-Superior. He called the renovations a great addition to the facility. “It’s really nice to have a full-length court on both sides [of the gym],” he says.

 

Much of the technology used in the floor’s construction is concealed under the glossy hardwood, which has been specifically designed to be “softer,” aiding the efforts of the training staff to prevent injuries to players. The court itself was moved several feet to the west to create more space behind the backboards and to meet NCAA requirements. “The attention to detail Rick Waligora’s staff paid to the project was fantastic. They ensured everything was done properly, and that nothing was missed,” says Director of Athletics Steve Wammer.

 

The Kendrigan Gym is named for J.T. Kendrigan, who served as the athletic director at the College for thirty-five years. The facility is home to the Northland College men’s and women’s basketball teams as well as the women’s volleyball team and provides an indoor training facility for the men’s baseball and women’s softball teams.