MBK | Gaels Celebrate Future McKeon Pavilion Expansion
1/12/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
MORAGA, Calif. -- It's not just a gym.
That message rang loud and clear Saturday as Saint Mary's proudly announced it's intention to build a new Student Athlete Performance Center and renovate McKeon Pavilion.
The ceremony, held at halftime of the Gaels' 88-73 men's basketball win over San Francisco, featured on-court speeches by Saint Mary's president James Donahue and SMC Board of Regents member Charlie Moore as well as recognition of the project's lead donor Kevin M. Nagle, chief executive office of Envision Pharmaceutical Holdings.
The ceremony came while the Gaels players and coaches were in the locker room, but the magnitude of the moment didn't escape their notice. Saint Mary's head coach Randy Bennett chatted with Nagle outside the Gaels locker room after the game and later expressed his gratitude for the project, which is scheduled to begin in spring 2015.
"I met his daughter too. She's the key piece because she went to Saint Mary's College. It's exciting," Bennett said. "Kevin stepped up in August when we were in Australia to make the lead gift on renovating our gym and adding seating, new weight room, new training room and new administrative offices. It will really enhance our basketball program and enhance our whole athletic department for all sports. It's something new, it's something nice and it's going to happen pretty quick. The fundraising is in place but like I said, you need someone who steps up and makes the lead gift and he did. I appreciate Kevin doing that."
Nagle is also a part-owner of the NBA's Sacramento Kings, and with the Kings hosting the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, the Gaels basketball team will head to Sacramento to see their former teammate and current Cavalier, Matthew Dellavedova.
Enhancements to the facility will only serve to heighten the home court advantage that Saint Mary's already enjoys when it comes to men's basketball. Saturday's win over San Francisco featured the hallmarks of most big games at McKeon, with a rowdy student section, standing room only fans and plenty of good play from on the court.
Though he won't still be a student when work is completed, Gaels guard Stephen Holt has been around the program long enough to know the impact the project will have on future Saint Mary's teams.
"It's great for the school, this program and the community," Holt said. "I'm excited for future incoming Gaels to play in this arena. It's great for the atmosphere since we already have a tough place to play. It's great that we're renovating it with state of the art type gear and I can't wait to be an alum and come back and watch."
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