On Oct. 19, Athletics Director Jon Gilbert of the University of Southern Mississippi announced plans for a new multi-purpose Wellness Center.

“On behalf of the university, the Department of Athletics, and as a community member, I am proud and honored to announce this facility,” Gilbert said. “It is certain to be a point of pride, as it stands to serve our student-athletes, our student body and community constituents for years to come.”

The Wellness Center, the current name the facility will go by, is intended to be 26,000 to 28,000 square feet and is to be located along West Fourth Street by the Payne Center. The facility is planned to hold one thousand people and will be the new home for the Golden Eagles’ volleyball team. Planning to host community and student events, the center will have a weight room, volleyball court, training room, locker rooms and classrooms.

Currently, Reed Green Coliseum is home to the men and women’s basketball team, the volleyball team and hosts numerous study body events. The construction of the Wellness Center will ease the burden on the aging Reed Green facility.

The Wellness Center will be funded through private donations and by the Mississippi Community Education Center. The architectural firm of Wier Boerner Allin of Jackson was chosen to design the new facility.

Wier Boerner Allin designed Mississippi State’s new baseball stadium that is currently under construction and new softball stadium. The firm also designed Millsaps’ new softball and tennis facility, along with the Mississippi Coliseum in Jackson and Ed’s Burgers in Hattiesburg.

Much more is still in development such as the cost and the design of the Wellness Center. However, once the funding is secured and cost of construction is finalized, the construction itself is projected to take 12 to 15 months.