Last month, the University of North Florida athletic department unveiled renovations at Hodges Stadium.
The project, performed over winter break, consisted of upgrades to the weight and training rooms. According to the UNF Athletics website, the project was possible because of contributions from the Hodges family and donors on UNF’s ‘#904 Day” fundraising campaign.
“I am so thankful to our donors for making this transformational project a reality,” UNF athletic director Morrow told UNF Athletics. “A renovated weight room and athletic training room will provide great resources to benefit the health and well-being of our 320 student-athletes.”
This renovation was the first update to the weight room, originally built in 2008, receiving new strength and conditioning equipment, flooring, and rubber bumper plates. The training room, finished in 2006, was equipped with fresh flooring, treatment tables, and a renovated HydroTherapy Room.
A pair of the 320 athletes, both Track and Field players, like the use of UNF’s new logo inside the new weight room.
“Everything’s a lot cleaner,” said long-distance runner Sebastian Hernandez. “I like the new detail on the wall, I think [the weight room] got a nice facelift.”
As for improvements, Hernandez said the storage space for the balls and bands could be better utilized.
“But otherwise, we have all the resources we need in there as far as the machines and the bands,” Hernandez said.
One of Hernandez’s teammates, senior Christian Ruocco, held a similar opinion about the weight room.
“Like [Hernandez] said it was a new facelift, everything is a lot cleaner, more efficient,” Ruocco said, “I kinda like how [Athletics] incorporated more of the UNF logo on the equipment.”
Ruocco enjoys the new bars and mats available in the updated weight room. But most of all, Ruocco is relieved about the cleaner floor.
“It’s nice to have a fresh new environment and when we’re doing abs on the floor just knowing that it’s cleaner it helps a lot,” Ruocco said.
While finding the weight room “good as it is,” Ruocco wishes for more post-workout protein snacks.
Paige McSwigan, a player from the UNF women’s soccer team, the other sport Hodges Stadium houses, enjoys the extra racks, brighter lighting, and more storage space.
“As soon as you walk in [the weight room], you can tell there’s a difference,” McSwigan said. “I love that it’s very much brighter there.”
However, McSwigan said assault bikes could be added to improve conditioning. While comparing the previous weight room to a dungeon, McSwigan overall likes the transformation of the weight room.
“It is definitely brighter and more open, which is really nice,” McSwigan said.
As for the training room, McSwigan said that renovation is better because there were more added amenities compared to the weight room. Her favorite new amenity is the hot and cold tubs.
Completed in 2004, Hodges Stadium hosts UNF’s men’s and women’s soccer and track teams. Starting this fall, Hodges will host Sporting JAX, Jacksonville’s only professional women’s soccer team for its inaugural season.
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