When the men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams suit up in 2012 it will be on Bill Frack Court.
Yesterday, at the BGSU Falcon Club Annual reception it was announced that Findlay resident and BGSU basketball enthusiast, Bill Frack, has donated $2 million dollars to the basketball court at the new Stroh Convocation Center.
The Stroh Center will replace Anderson Arena as the home for volleyball and men’s and women’s hoops.
On March 1, the University announced that husband and wife, Kermit and Mary Lu Stroh, had donated $8 million dollars for the construction of the new convocation center.
The Center will house the locker rooms and meeting rooms for each of the three teams, office suites for their coaching staffs, the BGSU Athletics Hall of Fame and a merchandise store.
Construction on the Stroh Center is scheduled to begin in 2010 with its completion expected for 2012.
BGSU athletic director, Greg Christopher, said that Frack’s gift is helping the Stroh Center come together.
‘Turning from a vision into a reality with gifts like this,’ Christopher said.
Frack experienced BGSU basketball for the first time in 1948 when he was 12 years old.
Frack has attended almost every home game and has traveled all over the country and around the world to watch the men’s team play.
When University President, Sidney Ribeau came to the university in 1995 he noticed Frack was always at the games and that his commitment to BGSU basketball shows his leadership.
‘Bill is quiet, focused, steady and consistent,’ Ribeau said. ‘Leadership is nothing without consistency.’
Ribeau told the men’s basketball team, in attendance, that they are the benefactors of Frack’s gift and joked about how people are going to expect more from the team.
‘There are some high expectations on you now,’ Ribeau said. ‘Bill’s putting pressure on you now.’
Frack praised the men’s team for their hard work and a good season of Falcon basketball.
‘They worked their tail off and you couldn’t be ashamed of them,’ Frack said.
Frack has been supportive of BGSU for years, Ribeau said. His contributions including funding for men’s basketball and a scholarship.
Frack has seen games in the former Men’s Gymnasium, now in the Eppler Complex, and was at the opening game at Memorial Hall before it was known as Anderson Arena.
Frack joked that the former Men’s Gymnasium, ‘probably had better crowds then we do now.’
‘It was a great experience because there were very enthusiastic crowds,’ Frack said.
Frack said, Anderson Arena used to be known as the Taj-Mahal because it was such a nice facility.
Now Anderson Arena will house the Gymnastics team and Student-Athlete Support Services.
