Maryland entered 2022 as one of four universities to have won NCAA championships in both men’s and women’s basketball, but remained the only Big Ten team without a practice facility. That’s now officially changed.
On the same day that Maryland basketball held its introductory press conference for new head coach Kevin Willard, athletic director Damon Evans officially announced plans to move forward with the new basketball performance center, unveiling the name Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center.
“I am so proud to reveal that we raised nearly $40 million to build a new basketball Performance Center,” Evans added. “This was a project that Kevin [Willard] and I talked about a lot, how crucial it was to the success of our program for both men's and women's basketball. I am so thrilled that is going to become a reality.”
Evans added the plan is to have shovels in the ground by the start of 2023. “And then from that point on, the project takes about 18 months. As Josh Kaplan always tells me everything takes 18 months to do so that's kind of the timeline we're on right now.”
The new two-floor facility includes direct access to the Xfinity center along with a players level with practice courts, locker room and offices for the coaches and administration. With a shared weight & training area along with two separate practice courts for both teams, a “spacious grand lobby” along with an observation cardio balcony for the coaches, Maryland will look to have two state of the art practice facilities by the summer of 2024.
Via UMTerps:
Maryland is one of only four institutions in history to have won NCAA championships in both Men’s and Women’s Basketball. With such success, Maryland stands as the only Big Ten school without a dedicated basketball practice facility for both its men’s and women’s teams. It is our vision that with the new Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center, the university will continue its ascent in the Big Ten Conference and provide our teams with the infrastructure they need to continue striving for championships. This new center will help provide a transformative experience for our student-athletes, giving them an unmatched opportunity to become top collegiate basketball players.
The new Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center will be a catalyst for positive growth of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball programs at the University of Maryland. Located adjacent to the XFINITY Center, the new Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center will offer new and exciting amenities to the student-athletes, coaches and friends of Maryland Basketball while creating a new landmark on the northern edge of the University of Maryland campus. Adding much needed practice and programming space will alleviate the scheduling challenges that currently occur on the XFINITY and Pavilion courts. With the new center in place, coaches will have more flexibility to schedule practice sessions earlier in the day, giving student-athletes more time for their studies and extracurricular activities.
This dedicated space will include an expanded strength and conditioning center that is specifically tailored to the needs of basketball student-athletes as well as state-of-the-art meeting rooms for our dedicated coaches. These amenities will give our basketball program a competitive edge in recruiting efforts and help attract the nation’s top talent while positioning Maryland as a top-tier program. Our recruits will step inside a facility dedicated to their success and leave knowing they have the opportunity to be a part of a stellar intercollegiate athletic program.