Williamsburg, KY – Coming off its most successful athletic season in school history the University of the Cumberlands recently completed a number of upgrades to its athletic facilities over of the summer, while several projects are scheduled to be completed this fall.

"Cumberlands is committed to giving our student-athletes and teams a competitive home advantage that allows them to compete at the highest level," said Athletic Director Chris Kraftick.  "Dr. Cockrum has continued to reinvest into the athletic programs and facilities."

This year UC implemented 15 facility upgrades across the athletic department.  Those upgrades include resurfacing the track and basketball courts, adding a turf tee with short iron and wedge range for the golf team, upgrading several locker rooms, and implementing a new video scoreboard.

James H. Taylor II Stadium saw a plethora of renovations beginning with resurfacing UC's eight-lane track.  The new layout features a navy track with gray lines with separate javelin and pole vault runways, replaces the original track which had been over 20 years old. In addition to the track, the stadium also houses a new video scoreboard that will be utilized for sporting events and other activities.

The Patriots also replaced the chain-link fence surrounding the track with a rod-iron black fence.  The UC football team also saw a significant locker room renovation complete with new flooring and lockers. The field adjacent to the stadium now houses a turf tee with a short iron and wedge range that the Patriots golf team will utilize throughout their season.


Announced earlier this summer, the Patriots resurfaced the basketball floor in the O. Wayne Rollins Center.  The wood court features a bigger Patriot head logo in center court and navy trim will be named after long-time Men's Basketball Coach and Athletic Director Randy Vernon.  The new court also features new basketball goals, while the men's basketball locker room also received an upgrade ahead of the 2019-2020 season. 
There were multiple upgrades in the Patriots Aquatic Center including grounding the backstroke flag poles, implementing pull-out bleachers, and renovating the showers in both the men's and women's locker rooms.  The pull-out bleachers will create more deck space during non-competition days.  Cumberlands also updated the branding at the UC Softball Complex this summer. 

In addition to the projects that have been already been completed this year, Cumberlands is also in the process of adding two new buildings to its athletic complex.  Across the parking lot from the UC Lacrosse/Soccer Complex will be the new men's and women's soccer locker rooms and office complex, while an archery facility for storage and indoor practice is slated to be added to the parking lot of the UC All-Purpose Field.

"This is an exciting time for the soccer programs as it will mark the first time in either program that they will have a locker room to call their own," said Kraftick.
 
In recent years, Cumberlands added turf to both the football and lacrosse/soccer complex, resurfaces the volleyball gym, built a bowling lane in Rollins Center, and took on numerous other projects.
 

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