The hope and promise of Wittenberg University’s state-of-the-art Health, Wellness, & Athletics (HWA) Complex continues to be realized two years after its 2019 grand opening during Homecoming & Reunion Weekend.

In this fully reimagined 265,000-square-feet of space, which includes a revamped 1929 Fieldhouse and The Steemer, a newly constructed 135,000-square foot indoor track and turf facility unmatched across small college athletics, signs of life are everywhere. Watch Video

Since its opening, Wittenberg has hosted everything from cheerleading competitions to swimming and indoor track meets to coaching, strength training, and officiating clinics to marching band shows, in addition to an expanding range of campus activities for students and employees.

“In my opinion, The Steemer is the best collegiate indoor athletic facility in the Midwest, and it has few rivals nationally,” said Vice President and Director of Athletics and Recreation Brian Agler ’80. “All of our fall and spring sports practice and/or compete in The Steemer. It has greatly influenced our athletic and University student recruitment, it is utilized by the University and Clark County communities, and it has created a new revenue stream as regional and national entities use to hold their events.

“The Steemer is a major Wittenberg University asset because it constantly draws people to our campus, and it helps our intercollegiate athletics programs compete at the highest of levels.”

Wittenberg’s athletics facilities have long been a hub of activity and an important connection to the greater Springfield community. The renovations and new construction completed in 2019, highlighted by the addition of The Steemer, have taken those connections to another level, greatly increasing traffic around the north end of campus and opening doors to new relationships.

Jim Templeton, director of one of the largest and most successful high school marching bands in the state at nearby Kenton Ridge, has found multiple uses for Wittenberg’s facilities, both before and after the renovations.

“The Kenton Ridge Marching Band is very grateful for the use of the wonderful facilities at Wittenberg University,” Templeton said. “We have hosted our band show there for several years, and with the addition of The Steemer, concession stand, and press box, it has made the event run much smoother than before. We have 8-10 marching bands at our annual band show, and they are all able to put their cases in The Steemer while the band show is in progress. We also use the space for the bands to warm up before their individual performance on the field.

“We also had the opportunity to showcase The Steemer to an international audience in January 2021 as we were selected to take part in the ‘Parade Across America’ Inaugural Celebration. The Steemer is where we were livestreamed to the producers in Los Angeles for the event.”

Every one of Wittenberg’s intercollegiate athletics programs have benefited from the HWA renovations and expansion, but few have made better use of the new and improved spaces than the track and field and cross country programs. The 2021-22 indoor track and field season was highlighted by the opportunity to host the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) championships in early March.

“The addition of The Steemer, the refreshed 1929 Fieldhouse, and all of the space in the upgrades have made Wittenberg an outstanding host for NCAC programming and championship events,” said Keri Luchowski, executive director of the NCAC. “Our recent Indoor Track & Field championships offered our students a unique competitive experience for sure, but more importantly we were able to host such a large event safely while still accommodating all of our students in a first-class way. That kind of flexibility is invaluable in providing excellent experiences for student-athletes all across the conference.”

The conference championship was the third track and field event of the indoor season hosted by Wittenberg in The Steemer, in addition to multiple high school competitions during the same timeframe. Head Coach Paris Hilliard says the HWA renovations and expansion have had a “tremendous impact on our programs.”

“The Steemer is the only 300-meter indoor track facility in Division III, which is a big draw for recruiting and being able to host high school indoor track and field meets,” Hilliard said. “It also allows us to host home collegiate meets in which our athletes really enjoy competing in front of their family and friends. The Steemer has been a phenomenal place for my athletes to train and has helped improve our performances.”

Within that unique 300-meter track is a 100-yard turf field, an unusual find at a school of Wittenberg’s size. And the Bates Strength Center is located just a few steps away from The Steemer entrance. Both make coaching and playing intercollegiate athletics at Wittenberg optimal.

“The renovations and additions to the HWA Complex have had a major impact on the women’s soccer program, including enhancing the student-athlete experience, in-season and off-season training, and a major bonus in recruiting,” said Katie Robinson, women’s soccer head coach. “We’ve been able to utilize more spaces in the HWA for team activities, including film, meetings, and team-bonding activities, and we have our own locker room to call home.

“The Bates Strength Center is an awesome facility for our student-athletes to improve their strength, speed, and agility, and The Steemer has proved to be an amazing space for training and to host camps year-round.”

Tiger Baseball Head Coach Brian McGee echoes those sentiments.

“With the new construction and upgrades to the HWA, we can now provide our students with a state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind experience for our student-athletes,” McGee said. “It not only has helped attract higher quality student-athletes to our University, but it has also provided our players with excellent training and development resources. With the sheer size of the Steemer, we can practice more game-like baseball scenarios, regardless of the weather, on a year-round basis, and the weight room has given our athletes the space and equipment to work together as a full team.”