Delaware State University (DSU) is setting a groundbreaking precedent by striving to become the first Historically Black College and University (HBCU) to build a state-of-the-art indoor athletics training facility. The University has launched dsuathleticstransform.com, a platform dedicated to informing the public about this pioneering initiative aimed at revolutionizing the athletic experience for student-athletes, with a particular emphasis on enhancing its golf program.
In February 2024, DSU President Tony Allen, Athletic Director Alecia Shields-Gadson, and Athletic Transformation Committee Chairman Steven R. Ewing outlined plans for the ambitious upgrades. Among the enhancements are key improvements to facilities like locker rooms for football, women’s lacrosse, and soccer, along with the athletics welcome house, football lounges, meeting spaces, and notably, a state-of-the-art golf simulator.
This advanced golf training tool represents a major leap for DSU’s golf program, providing year-round training opportunities for student-athletes regardless of weather conditions. The simulator will give the golf team a cutting-edge advantage, allowing for detailed performance analysis and immersive practice sessions.
The comprehensive plan also includes upgrades to the football field house and administration offices, the construction of an indoor practice facility, and the addition of a new grandstand at Alumni Stadium. Spearheaded by the Athletics Facility Transformation Committee, Delaware State is poised to make this visionary project a reality, setting a new standard for HBCU athletics facilities and specifically elevating its golf training capabilities.
The mission of this initiative is to create a state-of-the-art facility where student-athletes can thrive both academically and athletically, ensuring they reach their full potential. With a special focus on fostering excellence in golf, DSU aims to establish a facility that inspires and nurtures talent while fostering a strong sense of community.
Phase I of the project focuses on extensive renovations to current athletic facilities and new constructions, including a 70,000-square-foot indoor athletic field house. Among the planned features are a 50-yard turf field, cutting-edge football locker rooms, meeting lounges, academic study labs, dining areas, and a much-anticipated golf simulator.
With this innovative facility, Delaware State University is determined to inspire future generations of student-athletes, while the golf program, in particular, is set to benefit immensely, establishing DSU as a leader in collegiate sports development.
