NORFOLK, Va. – Head Old Dominion women’s basketball coach Karen Barefoot was present at the Bernett and Blanche Mitchum Basketball Performance Center ground breaking ceremony this afternoon, not only as a member of the ODU Athletics staff but also as a donor.
Barefoot made a generous $25,000 commitment to the Performance Center all in the name of Sara Jones, who made an incredible impact on Barefoot’s life and the entire Lady Monarch family.
"The donation I made was my way of honoring my former assistant, Sara, the lost her battle with cancer," said Barefoot. "A lot of people involved with the program looked up to her and saw her tremendous courage day in and day out. Having her name in the building will keep her legacy going and it will teach a valuable lesson to our players that with courage and a ”whatever it takes” attitude anything can happen. Today was a special day not only for our program, but also for Sara’s legacy here at ODU.”
The center will be adjacent to the Ted Constant Convocation Center on Monarch Way, and will serve as the home for both the men’s and women’s basketball programs. The state of the art facility includes a practice gymnasium, NBA-style locker rooms, offices, a lounge, a sports performance center and a sports medicine center.
“We have been waiting for this day for a long time,” added Barefoot. “This facility will set us apart from a lot of programs and to have it right next to the amazing arena that we play in is fantastic. I want to personally thank all the donors that contributed to this amazing facility and helped make this a reality.”
The Lady Monarchs begin competition on Nov. 13 at Richmond at 3:00 p.m. and open up at home on Nov. 15 against Wagner at 2:00 p.m.
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