Members at all levels of the SLU Athletics program cut the ribbon to signify the opening of the $20 million state-of-the-art facility. (Photo courtesy: SLU Athletics)

Saint Louis University hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the O’Loughlin Family Champions Center. The 25,000-square-foot center, which is adjacent to Chaifetz Arena, will provide support services for the University’s 400-plus Billiken student-athletes under one roof. The Center will officially open to student-athletes later this month.

“This state-of-the-art facility, shared among our more than 400 Billiken student-athletes across all sports, will be a game-changer for the University and our department,” Chris May, athletic director at Saint Louis University said, in a statement released by the program. “Our student-athletes put so much effort into objectives, which are to educate, compete and build community. The O’Loughlin Family Champions Center is here to help them achieve their best in the classroom, in competition and in the community.”  

Construction of the center began in May 2022 with the goal of providing a best-in-class facility designed to deliver programming related to academic advising, spiritual development, sports performance, nutrition, wellness and sports psychology, among a host of other related services. The general contractor of the facility was St. Louis-based McCarthy Building Companies, Hastings+Chivetta served as the project’s architect and Perkins&Will completed the interior design.

Highlights of the center include:

Student Success Suite

The Student Success Suite is the cornerstone of the O’Loughlin Family Champions Center facility and services. The suite will deliver spiritual development, sports psychology, and academic, career, and student-athlete development programming. The combination of student-athlete development, spiritual development and academic and career services provides an unparalleled program in the NCAA.

Performance Nutrition Center

The Performance Nutrition Center will offer student-athletes healthy meal options on campus. For student-athletes, the nutrition area will focus on personal performance targets, wellness and recovery. This community space will also be utilized for public events such as graduation, athletic alumni events and pre-game receptions.

Team Dining Suite

Within the Performance Nutrition Center, there is space available for team meals and additional community-building opportunities. As is the case around other areas of the O’Loughlin Family Champions Center, the space is equipped with cutting-edge technology, allowing teams to break down game film during team meals and meetings.

Basketball Operations Suites

The Basketball Operations Suites provides a hub for the men’s and women’s basketball programs, ensuring the efforts in competition are being matched by necessary facilities outside of competition.

Student-Athlete Development Program

The Student-Athlete Development Program creates a comprehensive curriculum that will enhance support services and provide development opportunities for all Billiken student-athletes. Programming includes personal development, leadership development and mentoring/networking opportunities.

Technology Suites

Technology Suites are housed within the O’Loughlin Family Champions Center, equipping Billiken athletics programs and coaches with state-of-the-art technology to serve their student-athletes. The technology suites will be used for film breakdown and other team meetings.

“The O’Loughlin Family Champions Center is a community investment in our University,” said Saint Louis University President Fred Pestello. “Our student athletes have extraordinary demands put on their time. Having these services available to them in a single location ensures we deliver on our promise to support our student-athletes as whole persons, preparing them to thrive in the classroom, in competition, and after graduation.”

The $20 million center was privately funded with a lead gift by the O’Loughlin Family Foundation. Additional donors include John Johnson, the Centene Charitable Foundation, Michael and Noémi Neidorff, Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, Jim Kavanaugh – World Wide Technology, Koman Family Foundation, Keith Phoenix, Mark and Joy Scoggins, Floyd and Judith Crowder, and Linda and Alan Vogt.

“While I can’t claim Saint Louis University as my alma mater, I appreciate the central role the university plays in the ongoing success of the city and our region as a whole,” said Bob O’Loughlin, Chairman and CEO of LHM and director of the O’Loughlin Family Foundation. “Our foundation’s gift to create the O’Loughlin Family Champions Center is our opportunity to give back to this great city. A robust and successful NCAA Division I athletic program in the heart of the city isn’t just great for Saint Louis University, it’s great for our entire community.”

About Saint Louis University 

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation’s oldest and most prestigious Catholic institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers nearly 13,000 students a rigorous, transformative education of the whole person. At the core of the University’s diverse community of scholars is SLU’s service-focused mission, which challenges and prepares students to make the world a better, more just place.

SLU sports information contributed to this story.