Romeoville, Ill. – The Lewis University Department of Athletics recently completed one of the most transformational renovations for its female sports programs with entirely new locker rooms for the women's basketball and volleyball teams inside Neil Carey Arena.
Thanks to a substantial gift from the family of Mary (Moskal) Buckley, the women's basketball and volleyball programs at Lewis will enjoy some of the top locker room facilities not only in the state of Illinois, but across the Midwest and Division II.
"We are incredibly grateful to the family of Mary (Moskal) Buckley for their generosity in making these locker room renovations possible and for honoring Mary's legacy as a Lewis Athletics Hall of Famer and former women's basketball standout," Assistant Vice President for Athletics
John Ashaolu said. "Their support is a great example of the direct impact philanthropy can have on the experience of our student-athletes."
The renovations completely redesign and enhance the locker rooms for both teams. Each team enjoys lockers that are double the size of the previous ones and are adorned with the Lewis logo atop the locker. Additionally, each student-athlete now has their own private locker boxes above and below their locker to hold personal goods.
A new team lounge area has also been built inside the new-look locker room. The lounge features a new smart TV, couches, and tables for student-athletes to rest and study between practices, games, and more. A recessed-lighting Lewis logo was also added and is featured prominently across from the new lounge area, making it one of the first things student-athletes, coaches and more will see when they enter the renovated space.
"These spaces are more than just locker rooms; they are places where our teams prepare, connect, and build the relationships and culture that are so important to their experience at Lewis," Ashaolu said. "The finished spaces are first-class and have a Division I caliber look and feel that reflects the level of excellence we want our student-athletes to experience every day."
Other enhancements include new flooring and a nutrition area with counter space and refrigerators where student-athletes can refuel before and after practice. The entrance to the locker rooms also received an upgrade with a fresh coat of paint around the doorway, and the logos of the Lewis women's basketball and volleyball programs are painted on the wall. A plaque honoring the Moskal family and the 2006-07 women's basketball team is also displayed on the wall.
"Projects like these demonstrate what is possible when people believe in our student-athletes and invest in the continued growth of Lewis Athletics," Ashaolu said.
The generosity of the family of Mary (Moskal) Buckley made this major renovation possible and is one of the many commitments made by former Lewis student-athletes to enhance and improve the experience of current Flyers. This is not the first major project to take place inside Neil Carey Arena this summer. Thanks to charitable donations from other Lewis donors, the arena floor underwent a major redesign.
Their continued support enriches the student-athlete experience and empowers our teams to compete for conference and national championships across all sports. If you would like to support the Flyers,
click here.
The Flyers are scheduled to host their first regular-season contest with their new court and locker room on September 18 when the women's volleyball program faces GLVC foe Quincy. The opening serve against the Hawks is set for 6 p.m. Tickets for the match can be
purchased here.
For the latest news and updates on Lewis athletics, visit LewisFlyers.com and follow the Flyers on social media at @golewisflyers on Instagram and @LewisFlyers on X.
