The Board of Regents approved a new $15.5 million gymnastics performance center on Friday afternoon, with construction scheduled to start in March 2024.

The new facility is expected to be completed by January 2025. In the meantime, the Gophers will continue to use Maturi Pavilion for home meets during the competition season.

The new performance center will be built in the footprint of Athletes Village, which will allow student-athletes to study, train, eat and recover all in one location. The facility will be constructed on the south side of the department’s indoor football field where two sand volleyball courts are currently located.

“It will be ideal for our student-athletes to have everything they need –– academics, athletics, nutrition and athletic medicine –– all in one spot at the world-class Athletes Village,” Athletics Director Mark Coyle said in a press release. “I know Coach [Jenny] Hansen and her staff are excited to share this news with the team and with recruits and we look forward to supporting them during the process.”

The Gopher gymnastics team has achieved tremendous success in the past few years, having competed in the NCAA Championship every year since 1995. The team advanced to the NCAA Semifinals in 2016, 2021 and 2022. 

Hansen led the Gophers to a Big Ten regular-season title in 2016 and a Big Ten championship title in 2021. 

The Gopher’s current training center, Peik Gymnasium, has been proposed for future demolition by campus leadership.

Construction of the new performance center will be paid for by athletic department revenues. Fundraising and private contributions will play a part in the department’s financing for the project.

“A state-of-the-art practice facility has been a goal of our program for the past 20 years and to see it come to fruition is truly an amazing milestone,” said Hansen in a press release.