Groundbreaking for Verne Lundquist Student Athletic Center set for Saturday
(Seguin) — It’s been years in the making and this Saturday in front of alumni, the first shovel will break ground for the construction of the new Texas Lutheran University’s Verne Lundquist Student Athletic Center.
The $6 million facility is named for one of TLU’s most famous alumni and legendary sportscasters Verne Lundquist, Class of ’62.
Tracy Donley, TLU director of communications and content, says the shovels will turn during this weekend’s TLU Homecoming activities.
“As you know Verne Lundquist is one of our most esteemed alumni and there couldn’t be a better time to celebrate the groundbreaking of the student athletic center that is being named in his honor than on homecoming when he along with so many other alumni will be on campus,” said Donley.
Lundquist’s first professional broadcasting job was at Seguin’s KWED radio station during his years at TLU. Over the course of more than 50 years, he has worked for ABC Sports, CBS Sports, and
Turner Sports, was the radio voice of the Dallas Cowboys as well as lead play-by-play announcer for the SEC on CBS, and has commentated on everything from the Olympic games to the Masters Tournament, calling more than 20 different sports through the years, earning himself the nickname “The Golden Throat” in broadcasting circles. Lundquist is a member of the
Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame, the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame, the Sun Bowl Hall of Fame, and is winner of the 2016 Sports Emmy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
His leadership at TLU’s annual Front Row Gala, featuring sports legends such as Troy Aikman, Charles Barkley, Terry Bradshaw, and Roger Clemens, has provided tremendous support for TLU athletics for more than 20 years.
The nearly 10,000 square foot building will house a conditioning and weight room for student-athletes as well as locker rooms for the women’s soccer and softball teams.
The center, which will be located on the north side of campus near the current athletics facilities, will also free up space in the existing Jones Physical Education Complex, allowing for locker rooms for visiting athletic teams.
The groundbreaking is set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Leading the construction will be The Koehler Company. The project is expected to be completed by late summer 2025.
Meanwhile, Donley says the groundbreaking is all part of the Homecoming fun that is slated throughout the weekend.
“There will be a Bulldog Palooza on the library lawn at 7 o’clock on Friday evening and that’s a beer garden and food trucks and games and all kinds of things. There’s an Off the Leash 5K that everyone is welcome to register for. It’s at 9 o’clock in the morning on Saturday and people can go to our website to register for that. We’ve got a tailgate party from noon to 4 p.m. The best part is of course the football game. The TLU Bulldogs will be going up against McMurry University at 4 o’clock in Bulldog Stadium. It’s going to be a fantastic weekend,” said Donley.
A complete list of Homecoming activities can be found on the TLU website.