College Also Provided a Behind-the-Scenes Look at the Construction of the New Blackburn Athletic Center
Blackburn College dedicated its new Gugger Family Racquet & Hoops Complex during a special event on Saturday, July 25, 2024. The ceremony recognized the individuals and businesses that contributed to funding the complex, including the Joe Gugger ‘72 family, Carlinville Winning Communities, Heinz Furniture, UCB Bank, and many more.
The event began with a welcome from Kim Camara-Harvey, Director of Athletics at Blackburn, “Thank you all so much for coming today to help us celebrate the official opening of the Gugger Family Racquet and Hoops Complex. This is such a beautiful addition to our facilities. I know this is something that our students will be very excited about as they return to campus in a few weeks,” Camara-Harvey stated, “In this space, we will be hosting both formal and informal activities, including classes, intramurals, club sports and open recreation time for all of our students, faculty, and staff.”
In addition to the benefits of the new space for the Blackburn campus community, the courts are available to the entire Carlinville community. Camara-Harvey explained, “ I was overjoyed to see the many community members who have already utilized the courts just in the few short weeks they’ve been completed. Within a day of completing the courts, we saw adults, teenagers, and families enjoying the opportunity to play tennis, pickleball, and basketball. This can be a space where Blackburn and Carlinville can come together to connect in ways that we haven’t done before. I am excited to see how the students and community connect through recreation.”
She also thanked those who made the project possible through their generous donations, saying, “Especially the Gugger Family. Your belief in this project and Blackburn has been key to making these courts a reality!”
Blackburn’s new President, Larry K. Lee, also welcomed the group and shared, “I want to add my thanks to you all for being here this afternoon. My wife, Cathy, and I are delighted to be at Blackburn and have received a warm welcome on campus and from the Carlinville community. We’ve been here not quite a month – about as long as the Racquet & Hoops Complex has been completed – and it’s been wonderful to see the Gugger Family Racquet & Hoops Complex as a hub of activity. From pick-up basketball games to families playing pickleball and tennis, there is someone on the courts every day, and on the weekends, you might have to wait your turn!”
Lee stated that while he was new to Blackburn, he quickly learned that the Gugger Family had long supported tennis courts on campus. “Joe’s gift and vision kick-started this project, and it’s been fantastic to learn how the fundraising grew so organically. With support from alumni, faculty and staff, Carlinville businesses, and community organizations, this is a wonderful example of campus/community partnership. And I look forward to seeing members of the Carlinville community spending time on campus.”
Carlinville Mayor Sarah Oswald also joined the event and shared some of her memories of her experiences at the College as the daughter of two Blackburn alums. “It goes without saying that Blackburn College is an economic engine for our community. I believe that if the city of Carlinville succeeds, then Blackburn succeeds. And if Blackburn succeeds, then the city of Carlinville succeeds. The city of Carlinville takes great pride in being the home of Blackburn College,” she stated. “For a while now, people in Carlinville have wanted pickleball courts. Every time I would attend a meeting at the Chamber of Commerce, at the park board, at Winning Communities, if I met with the owner of the Carlinville Plaza, they were all trying to come up with how to get pickleball courts in Carlinville. Blackburn, with the help of these donations, made it happen. Bravo to them, and the community is thrilled.”
Sarah Koplinski ‘95, Vice President for Institutional Advancement, and Glen Krupica Winning Together Campaign Manager, recognized all the individuals who contributed to making the new facility possible. For the pickleball courts, Carlinville Winning Communities made a generous gift to name the Pickleball Center. They also recognized individual court sponsors, including Drs. Tim & Angie Morenz ‘97, Mr. Greg & Danlee Whitler from Heinz Furniture, Ms. Missy Haley from UCB Bank, and Mr. Jim Faust ‘64 and family, who sponsored one pickleball court and both tennis courts.
They also recognized Blackburn Sports Boosters (B-Club), which supports Blackburn athletics, and chose to sponsor the outdoor basketball court with a B-Club logo painted at halfcourt. They also recognized Joe Gugger ‘72, who provided the original gift for the Gugger Family Tennis Center 15 years ago and the initial gift to launch this Winning Together project.
“Part of the reason why I thought this was a great project is that it is great for not only Blackburn College but also the entire community. You don’t have the option of having facilities like this. And once that building gets completed, it’s even going to be greater for the community and Blackburn,” Gugger shared. “It’s a good tie-in back for the community to have everything all set up with a new facility and opportunity for all of us.”
Those in attendance also had the opportunity to participate in a sneak preview and tour the College’s new indoor athletic center, which will open to campus and the community this fall.
Rising senior and baseball player C.J. Brunaugh thanked the gathering for their generosity and contributions to Winning Together. “The impact these new facilities will have on our student-athletes is incredible. The athletes here at Blackburn College will have the opportunity of a lifetime to train at a higher level. With the facilities and opportunities now given to us, the indoor teams will be able to have the gym to themselves, and the outdoor teams will be able to practice on a surface that almost replicates the surface they play on. That gives athletes a competitive edge – being able to play on something that is like what you play on in an actual game.”
Brunaugh continued, “This facility is one of a kind. There is no other facility like this at the (NCAA Division III) level in this area that I know of. This will help us not only improve development but also improve our recruiting, which will help us improve our sports teams and college as a whole.”
Jen Shelby, a member of the Winning Together campaign cabinet member and Board of Trustees at Blackburn, thanked individuals for their support and contributions to the campaign. “(These projects are) having an amazing impact. In board meetings for years, we’ve heard of students having to start practice at 10 or 11 PM. That’s unbelievable. And now that no longer has to happen. You’ve heard about its great impact on the whole community of Carlinville. And the intramurals – I serve on (the Board of Trustees’ committees for) enrollment and retention, and students involved in athletics and intramurals connect with other students and strengthen their commitment to the college and their likelihood to stay at Blackburn and finish their education. All very important.”
The new Gugger Family Racquet & Hoops Complex and Blackburn Athletic Center are part of the colleges’ Winning Together: A Campaign for Athletics & Enrollment. This project aims to provide Blackburn students and the community greater access to expanded athletic and recreational facilities.
For more information or to support the Winning Together campaign, contact Krupica at glen.krupica@blackburn.edu or (217) 313-7736.