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Illinois AD donates $100K toward new Football Center
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Nobody can say Josh Whitman isn’t completely invested in Illinois Athletics.
On Wednesday, the University of Illinois announced that Whitman — the school’s athletic director — and his wife, Hope, have pledged a $100,000 donation for the construction of the Henry Dale and Betty Smith Center, which will be the new stat-of-the-art facility for Illini Football.
Whitman, who played football at the University of Illinois for four years, said he wanted to show his commitment to the school and the student-athletes.
“Hope and I are making this gift to solidify our personal commitment, both financially and emotionally, to this transformative project and the benefits it will provide for our student-athletes and our program,” Whitman said, according to FightingIllini.com. “As a former player, I feel especially committed to ensuring all letterwinners feel welcome and connected to this program. As with every college football team, bridging the gap between generations can be a challenge, and it was a priority for me in designing and building the Smith Center.”
The new Henry Dale and Betty Smith Center will cost approximately $80 million to construct. It is expected to be completed in July.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB