Michigan Football Locker Room To Be Dedicated Friday
11/19/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- On Friday (Nov. 21) at 11:30 a.m., the University of Michigan football locker room will be named the "J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Football Locker Room" during a special ceremony inside the newly renovated area on the east side of Michigan Stadium next to the tunnel.
"The football locker room has been a wonderful addition for the football program," said U-M athletics director Bill Martin. "This opportunity to honor Ira and Nicki Harris for providing the generous lead $2.5 million contribution for the project will be a great way for the entire university and athletic department to recognize these two wonderful people."
In addition, the Athletic Department is pleased to announce gifts from Alvin L. Glick, CEO of Alro Steel, of $1 million for the "Glick Family Coaches' Suite" and from Thomas S. Maentz, 1956 U-M football captain and chairman of TSM Corporation, and JoAnn Maentz of $500,000 for the "Thomas S. and JoAnn Maentz Medical Treatment Room."
The new quarters, designed by Rossetti Architects, Southfield, Mich., provide the U-M football team with improved medical facilities, a coaches' suite and a completely updated locker room where the full complement of 116 players can dress at the stadium. The 10,208-square-foot facility is three times larger than the previous locker room (3,145 square feet).
The old locker room had remained structurally the same since the 1950s and was built to accommodate 80 players. In recent years, due to the limited space, many players were required to dress in the visitors and wrestlers locker rooms inside Crisler Arena.
"The new locker room is a key component in improving our facilities," said head coach Lloyd Carr. "On behalf of our program I would like to thank everyone who contributed to this project, and in particular our gratitude is extended to Ira and Nicki Harris, Al Glick, and Tom and JoAnn Maentz. Your generosity has given all present and future football players at Michigan a facility they can enjoy, appreciate and take great pride in.
"When you have people like Ira and Nicki, Al, Tom and JoAnn, this type of giving fosters special relationships between the University of Michigan football program and those constituents," said Martin. "We are very excited about the involvement and the loyalty of our donors as they continue to support our athletic department."
Contact: Bruce Madej (734) 763-4423
