Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Article Image Alt Text

The renovations underway at Texas State University for its athletic programs are thanks to the kind donations of several donors, including the Weisman Family and others. The construction, once finished, places the school in contention with other university footprints in the conference.
Submitted photo

Article Image Alt Text

Texas State University Athletic Director Don Coryell laid the vision for the university's new football performance center and south endzone complex.
Submitted photo

Texas State joins the 'arms race'

TXST ATHLETICS
Sunday, May 28, 2023

As Texas State broke ground to signal the start of construction for both the renovations of the south endzone complex and the new football performance center, there was a sense at work that Texas State is turning a new page in its life that has not been seen since the Bobcats made the jump to FBS.

With the groundbreaking ceremony, as well as the announcement of a new baseball training facility last March, the ability to cater to the well being of student athletes at Texas State has become imperative for Director of Athletics Don Coryell.

“It’s super important because there are a lot of needs,” Coryell said. “Facilities are an important one, because it is important for both recruiting and development. You are trying to make it where the people are in the best possible place to win games. You need great weight rooms, great training facilities, and team meeting rooms. But to answer your question, facilities, coaching and the university are the three top things that recruits are looking for.”

Under the new regime of Coryell and Texas State University President Kelly Damphousse, Texas State is seemingly breathing new monetary-fueled air , as donations from the alumni base have been pouring in over the past few months, with the Weisman Family making a $4 million donation in March towards the football performance center and former Texas State baseball player Tyler Sibley making a $1 million donation to the new baseball/ softball training facility.

For Coryell, the alignment of both him and Damphousse has been crucial in taking these facility changes from dreams into reality.

“You need the support of your administration,” Coryell said. “Kelly [Damphousse] is behind athletics 100%. It’s important for him, which I keep saying, is that we change the trajectory of our football program. He 100% bought in on the things we are going to do.”

Because of the duos commitment to better the athletic program, this was one of the reasons new head football coach G.J. Kinne said he wanted to be a part of the Texas State landscape.

“During the interview process, this was something we talked about which as huge,” Kinne said. “You have to be able to recruit at a high level to win football games. We are able to do that and sign multiple players just talking about this complex. Once we get this finalized and we are able to show this off, not only to our recruits but our student athletes, too, because with retention and the transfer portal, this will keep our top guys here.”

One of the challenges the football team faces is the weight room which is considered to be one of the smallest in FBS.

Because of the difficulties of a small weight room, the new weight room, which is currently slated to be built at 8,000 square feet doubling to the original weight room, will look to alleviate some of the difficulties.

“We have so many different groups that we rotate in our current weight room,” Kinne said. “With the new weight room, we will be able to get both offense and defense together or even the whole team together if we need to.

'It provides continuity when you are building this culture … The structure of it will help with the everyday routines.”

As Texas State competes with fellow in state rivals in North Texas and UTSA as well as their fellow Sun Belt school companions in the ever, ongoing battle for recruits, Kinne said he is determined to be the trend setter in San Marcos.

“We want to set the standard in the Sun Belt,” Kinne said. “Not only in facilities, but in the field of play as well. The only way to do that is with donations and gifts like this. But this isn’t going to be about our recruits, but this will help our student athletes with everyday life. The weight room, training facilities, the nutrition, meeting rooms and players lounge. This is a great day to be a Bobcat.”

As Texas State looks to complete the football performance center as well as the baseball training facility, do not think the Bobcats are finished just yet.

“This won’t be the last project that we do,” Coryell said. But rather it is the beginning of some big stuff that we want to do. There are lots of needs and lots of things to do but this is a big piece of the puzzle.”

San Marcos Record

(512) 392-2458
P.O. Box 1109, San Marcos, TX 78666