Baylor University Dedicates Fudge Football Development Center

[Ingram, Brent]

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Baylor University Dedicates Fudge Football Development Center
Ribbon-cutting ceremony and private tours mark the opening of Baylor football’s new, 'transformational' facility.

Contact: Lori W. Fogleman, Baylor University, Office of Media and Public Relations
254-709-5959 | Lori_Fogleman at baylor.edu<mailto:Lori_Fogleman at baylor.edu> | www.baylor.edu/news<http://www.baylor.edu/news> | Twitter: @BaylorUMedia

Find this news release on our website: baylorbea.rs/4gzJOku<https://baylorbea.rs/4gzJOku>

WACO, Texas (Sept. 27, 2024) – Baylor University today dedicated the Fudge Football Development Center during a morning ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring open house tours and remarks, followed by an evening celebration at the Paul & Alejandra Foster Pavilion which also celebrated both buildings’ official completions.

The dedication event recognized the Fudge Football Development Center’s namesake and lead donors, Jeremy, B.A. ’97, and Kristy Fudge of Parker, Texas. Construction of the official home for Baylor Football was announced in November 2021 with the Fudges’ lead gift of $15 million to the Give Light Capital Fund, which supported the capital priorities of Baylor’s successful Give Light Campaign.

"The generosity of Jeremy and Kristy Fudge, which has led us to this moment, fills the Baylor Family with gratitude," said Mack B. Rhoades IV, vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics. "We are blessed to celebrate the transformational support of the Fudge Family and so many others this weekend. The Fudge Center and the Allison Indoor are state-of-the-art facilities, made possible by the visionary support of the Fudge and Allison families, and our great University. The impact that the Fudge Center will have on football program as well as our daily mission of Preparing Champions for Life is beyond measure."

Located next to the Simpson Athletics and Academic Center and the Beauchamp Athletic Nutrition Center, the Fudge Football Development Center includes a 14,460-square-foot expansion of the Jay and Jenny Allison Indoor Practice Facility, which created a full-size field and a new front entry, lobby, second-level bridge access connecting the Fudge Center and Allison Indoor Practice Facility, and new offices for the football program’s coaching staff. Other features include:

Strength and Conditioning

  *   14,000-square-foot weight room with 18 Power Lift racks
  *   1,300-square-foot Virtual Walk-thru Room with a 400-square-foot video wall
  *   Direct access to Allison Indoor Practice Facility
Athletic Human Performance Spaces

  *   Athletic medicine space for injury and illness evaluation and rehabilitation
  *   State-of-the-art hydrotherapy treatment room
  *   Centralized fueling station to optimize nutrition needs
  *   Individual consultation area to provide opportunities for confidential mental health and medical support
Team Meeting Spaces

  *   Team auditorium with space for 205 in tiered, theatre-style seating
  *   Large meeting rooms for offense, defense and position-specific meetings
Student-Athlete Spaces

  *   Players’ locker room featuring video technology at each locker and a quiet room
  *   Players’ lounge overlooking the locker room with a private terrace featuring views of McLane Stadium and the Brazos River

“As Christians, we are ambassadors of Christ to the world and one of the ways we do that is by pursuing excellence in all we do,” said Jeremy Fudge at the dedication ceremony. “Baylor and Baylor Athletics believe and live that out in all they do, and we are blessed and honored to be able to partner with them in that pursuit. We look forward to seeing what this new facility does for the development of each of the student athletes and our athletics program as a whole.”

The Fudge Football Development Center is a capital project funded through the Give Light campaign. More than $285 million was raised through the campaign to support capital projects, including the Fudge Center, the Paul and Alejandra Foster Pavilion, and the Mark and Paula Hurd Welcome Center, as well as the Tidwell Bible Building renovation. To learn more about the campaign’s impact, visit baylor.edu/givelight<https://givelight.web.baylor.edu/>.

A Legacy of Support

“In business and in our personal lives, our family has always lived by the motto ‘Pursue the Exceptional,’ and we are proud to support Baylor University in their pursuit of excellence,” Jeremy Fudge said at the time of their gift’s announcement. “As Christians, we are called to pursue excellence in everything we do, as an act of worship and obedience. At Baylor, our excellence can be a testimony to our Christian faith on a national stage, and we are excited to join the good work they are doing through our gift to support these programs, people and priorities as they continue Preparing Champions for Life.”

The Fudge Football Development Center’s name recognizes the generosity of Jeremy and Kristy Fudge, who have been longtime supporters of Baylor Athletics. Jeremy currently serves as a member of the Baylor Athletics NIL Advisory Council, a six-member group of Baylor supporters and business leaders who are strategically guiding NIL efforts for Baylor student-athletes. All six members of the Advisory Council are Baylor graduates and generous supporters of the university. The group was formed in summer of 2022.

Jeremy Fudge earned a B.A. magna cum laude from Baylor University in 1997. He currently serves as chief executive officer for Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP, the leading U.S. corporate immigration law firm. He leads the firm's operations, casts vision and strategy and drives the firm's mission and culture. Kristy is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado.

Kristy and Jeremy are parents to four daughters: Brynna, Addy, Calley and Delaynie. Kristy is an active community volunteer, serving on the board of the National Charity League, as well as various other committees and boards at their daughters' schools. Kristy became connected to Baylor through her husband and was recognized as an Alumna By Choice in 2021.

Jeremy and Kristy, who are members of the Baylor Bear Foundation, previously provided the first endowment gift to Baylor Athletics' Baylor Built program, dedicated to Preparing Champions for Life by providing workshops and seminars to student-athletes to enhance their development and character formation alongside their academic and on-field success.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.


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Brent Ingram | Associate AD for Communications
Baseball Sport Program Administrator
Department of Athletics | Baylor University
C: 210-845-8651

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