Shenandoah University Breaks Ground On Wilkins Athletics And Events Center Expansion
Upgrades include new locker rooms for Shenandoah’s football, cross country, and track and field programs
Shenandoah University broke ground on an expansion of the James R. Wilkins, Jr. Athletics and Events Center on Friday, Oct. 2, as the university kicked off its celebration of its 2026 Homecoming and Family Weekend.
The expansion – funded by transformative gifts from Jimmy and Roni Wilkins, Richie and Cara Wilkins, and the James R. Wilkins Charitable Trust – will include a dedicated locker room for the university’s football team as well as additional locker room space for the cross country and track and field programs.
Shenandoah announced the gifts and the WAEC expansion in April. Construction is expected to be completed in Fall 2027.
When the Wilkins Athletics & Events Center opened in 2018, it transformed what was possible for our campus and the entire Winchester community. Today, on Homecoming, as alumni return to see how our campus has grown, we build upon that incredible foundation. This expansion directly addresses the needs of our student-athletes, providing state-of-the-art, expanded locker room facilities for our football, track and field, and cross country teams. This is a significant step forward, and it gives our programs a permanent space that reflects the pride, work and commitment of everyone involved.”
Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., Shenandoah University President
The expansion of Shenandoah’s 77,000-square foot facility will give Shenandoah’s football program – whose locker room is currently located in Aikens Athletic Center – a permanent home adjacent to Shentel Stadium and will eliminate the team’s quarter-mile walk to and from the stadium for practices and games.
“This expansion is a game-changer for our football, cross country, and track and field programs, and it will create further opportunities to support other Shenandoah Athletic programs such as men’s volleyball,” said Interim Director of Athletics Bill Stewart. “Having access to dedicated, top-tier locker room facilities elevates the daily experience of our student-athletes, and will help foster the championship culture we strive for at Shenandoah. We are profoundly grateful to the Wilkins family and the James R. Wilkins Charitable Trust for their extraordinary generosity, vision, and steadfast support of Shenandoah University and its students. Their investment ensures our student-athletes have a home that matches their dedication and drive to win on and off the field.”
The Wilkins Athletics and Events Center is the home facility for Shenandoah’s basketball, volleyball, indoor track and field, and wrestling programs, and serves as a hub for Shenandoah’s 23 intercollegiate sports. As additional funds are raised, a future phase of WAEC expansion will include a state-of-the-art weight room and other upgrades.
Our family has always believed that investing in athletics is much more than wins and losses. It’s about investing in young people – giving them the tools, facilities and environment they need to lead, compete and grow as individuals. Seeing the impact of the Wilkins Athletics & Events Center over the years has been deeply rewarding for us. To know that this new expansion will give our football, track and field, and cross country student-athletes a world-class home to prepare and unite as teams fills us with immense pride. We are grateful to partner with Shenandoah in making this vision a reality, and we cannot wait to see what these student-athletes accomplish.”
James R. “Richie” Wilkins, III, Chair of Shenandoah’s Board of Trustees
As Shenandoah embarks on the expansion of the Wilkins Athletics and Events Center, it has introduced new opportunities to support the future of Shenandoah Athletics through the purchase of commemorative bricks, and seats and lockers dedicated to individuals and teams. Visit su.edu/waec to learn more about supporting Shenandoah Athletics through these new initiatives.
