The Ribbon is Cut: Spartan Athletics Center Celebrates its Historic Opening
President Cynthia Teniente-Matson (center) was joined by student-athletes, men’s soccer head coach Simon Tobin (left); Vice President and CFO Charlie Faas (back left); alumnus and donor Larry Solari, ’65 Business and Industrial Management, ’66 MBA (right center); Director of Athletics Jeff Konya (back right); Santa Clara County supervisor Cindy Chavez, ’87 Political Science (second from right); and football head coach Brent Brennan (right) to cut the ribbon at the public unveiling of the Spartan Athletics Center. Photo by Robert C. Bain.
Amid a changing landscape in college athletics, San José State University has pushed itself to the forefront of athletic facilities in the nation with the opening of the Spartan Athletics Center.
On Tuesday, President Cynthia Teniente-Matson and Director of Athletics Jeff Konya were joined by coaches, student-athletes and many others in the Spartan community to cut the ribbon to officially open the two-story building that sits on the east side of CEFCU Stadium.
“Our students deserve to have areas like the Spartan Athletics Center to learn, aspire, and thrive, and our university deserves a space that will support the pursuit of equity and excellence to attract the best and brightest athletes,” said President Cynthia Teniente-Matson. “Congratulations to all the SJSU staff who worked to bring this building to fruition, and thank you to our generous donors who have been instrumental in supporting the future of SJSU Athletics.”
Along with serving as the new home for Spartan football and men’s and women’s soccer, the 55,000 square foot building will provide amenities for student-athletes on all of SJSU’s 22 athletic teams — including a sports medicine facility and hydrotherapy room. On game days, the top floor will serve as host to VIP experiences with suites and lounges for supporters to cheer on the Spartans.
“The Spartan Athletics Center is another visible sign of progress at San José State University,” said SJSU Director of Athletics Jeff Konya. “This transformation of the east side of CEFCU stadium enhances the student-athlete experience, provides an upgrade to our gameday experience and affords our student-athletes experiential learning opportunities through our Beyond Sparta program. This truly is a game changer for SJSU Athletics.”
The Spartan Athletics Center will also provide a new venue for the Beyond Sparta programs, which connects student-athletes to networking, professional development and career opportunities in Silicon Valley.
A $5 million commitment from alumni Larry Solari, ’65 Business and Industrial Management, ’66 MBA, and Deirdre Solari in 2018 kicked off the efforts to build Spartan Athletics Center.
For anyone looking to support Spartan Athletics, visit the One Spartan Nation website to learn more about giving opportunities for the Spartan Athletics Center and beyond.
