Loyola University Receives $1 Million Gift to Renovate University Sports Complex and Train Elite Athletes

NEW ORLEANS – Loyola University plans to make a transformative investment in its Wolf Pack Athletics program after receiving a $1 million donation that will help fund a renovation of the University Sports Complex.

Loyola will use the gift as the initial funding for the renovation, kicking off the official campaign to raise $3 million for the project by the end of the 2025-26 school year.

The reimagined University Sports Complex will feature enhanced locker rooms, an expanded weight room, upgraded athletic training and sports medicine facilities, a new concession area, and new offices for Loyola’s expanding coaching staff.

The facility was built as a recreational complex in 1987, during a period when Loyola did not have intercollegiate athletics. As such, the current complex has limited space and lacks the necessary facilities for elite athletes to train and condition.

Since that time, the athletics program has grown to include more than 330 student-athletes participating in 20 sports. In the past five years, Loyola teams have won multiple conference championships and earned national rankings in nine sports, and 14 programs have made national tournament appearances – including a historic NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship in 2022.

In addition, Loyola’s Wolf Pack Baseball team made its first appearance in the NAIA World Series in 2025, finishing the season as the No. 7-ranked team in the nation. Women’s basketball has appeared in the NAIA National Tournament 17 times, including 11 straight appearances. Wolf Pack Athletics also has achieved national recognition in swimming, golf, tennis and track.

The renovation supports Loyola’s expansion of intercollegiate athletics to help grow enrollment. Loyola’s athletic portfolio has grown significantly in the last 10 years with the addition of men’s and women’s swimming, competitive cheer and dance, beach volleyball, and Esports. The addition of men’s and women’s rugby next fall will increase the number of athletic teams to 22, with other sports under consideration.

“We are so grateful to receive this generous donation in support of our student athletes,” said Brett Simpson, Assistant Vice President of Athletics at Loyola. “This gift puts us on a path to significantly improve our student-athlete experience while bolstering the growth of Wolf Pack Athletics.”

To learn more about the campaign to create a brighter future for Wolf Pack Athletics, contact Stephanie Hotard at sahotard@loyno.edu or 504-861-5566.

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