The University of Alabama Athletics Department revealed a plan for major upgrades and renovations to its basketball practice facility.
The Coleman Coliseum Basketball Training & Player Development Facility Expansion and Renovation is pending approval of the UA System Board of Trustees, however, their Physical Properties Committee recommended approval for stage one and two already.
The plans include a 48,000 square-foot expansion of the Southeast corner of Coleman Coliseum and will upgrade approximately 19,000 square feet of existing team space.
Men’s and women’s basketball would have their own dedicated practice facilities and weight rooms with added bonuses including film rooms, lounges, sports medicine spaces and offices.
Both Athletics Director Greg Byrne and head men’s basketball coach Nate Oats weighed in on the pending proposals.
Very excited for a state of art facility for our program that will enhance our student-athlete experience!
I cannot thank the Board of Trustees, Interim Chancellor Trant, Greg Byrne & President Bell enough for their continued support as well as our donors & incredible fans! https://t.co/WO4U6Rq37y
— Nate Oats (@nate_oats) June 7, 2024
“The Coleman Coliseum Basketball Training & Player Development Facility Expansion and Renovation will have an incredible impact on our basketball programs. We are extremely appreciative of the Board of Trustees, Interim Chancellor Trant and President Bell for consideration and are grateful to our donors who have supported this project. This facility is where our basketball programs will spend the majority of their time, and the project will address immediate, high-priority needs for both teams by creating an optimal space for practice and development,” said Byrne.
“As a program, we spend a majority of our time in the practice gym, the weight room and studying film, so the potential for us to have a new and expanded space for our student-athletes to develop is big for our program. We have tremendous support from our administration, which has played a role in our success, and I want to thank the Board of Trustees, Interim Chancellor Trant and President Bell as well as Greg Byrne and Shane Lyons for bringing this forward. I’d also like to thank our donors and fans for all they do for us,” said Oats.
Michael Brauner is a Senior Sports Analyst and Contributing Writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @MBraunerWNSP and hear him every weekday morning from 6 to 9 a.m. on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5, available free online.
