HACKENSACK, N.J. - As part of Hall of Fame Weekend, the Fairleigh Dickinson athletic department officially opened the Michael ('81) and Denise Clarke Strength and Conditioning Center in a pregame ceremony prior to the men's basketball matchup with Sacred Heart on Saturday, February 12, at the Rothman Center.
Located on the event level of the hub of Knights athletics, the Clarke Strength and Conditioning Center provides a state-of-the-art space for FDU's 21 NCAA Division I teams to workout, build endurance and stay active, in or out of season. Flanked by a new burgundy-colored mural inside Stratis Arena, the new weight room was constructed out of two racquetball courts, giving the space unique features such as high ceilings, as well as the fact the rooms are located below ground level.
Made possible by the Clarke's lead gift, the weight room renovation project, designed by Assistant Athletic Director for Sports Performance
David Downey, CSCS, MEd, became fully functional in January 2022.
"It is a great thrill to be able to provide this exciting new element to the Rothman Center and our department," remarked Director of Athletics
Bradford Hurlbut. "This space is just one of a few major facility projects we, as a department, are undergoing this year as we prepare to take FDU Athletics to the next level and I couldn't be more proud of how this project came together."
"None of this would have been possible without the support and generosity of the Clarke Family who are dear friends of FDU and the Knights and we are forever grateful to Michael and Denise for believing in our vision and making the lead gift for this tremendous facility," Hurlbut concluded.
One of the all-time greats in FDU men's track and field history, Clarke quipped during his remarks at the ceremony that when he was a student-athlete on the banks of the Hackensack, there was only one weight room for the campus community and they relied on propped-open doors and window to sneak in and use the facility outside opening hours and now, the FDU Hall of Famer's name is on the permanent home for FDU strength and conditioning.
"I couldn't be more thrilled with how the weight room turned out," said Downey. "We've more than doubled our capacity in the same square footage and can do so much more for our student-athletes. The sky's the limit for the future of FDU strength and conditioning and this facility puts us in a prime position to continue to provide for our Knights."
To give to FDU Athletics please visit
FDUKnights.com/Giving or contact
Jason Young, Senior Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs, at
jryoung@fdu.edu.
Click here for an image gallery of the Michael ('81) and Denise Clarke Strength and Conditioning Center.
About FDU Athletics
The Knights are home to 21 NCAA Division I teams. A member of the Northeast Conference, FDU has had tremendous success in the classroom, in athletic competition, and giving back to the Bergen County community. In 2019-20 year, FDU won NEC championships in men's soccer and women's indoor track & field and followed that up with championships in 2020-2021 in women's bowling, men's tennis, and women's golf. In 2020, FDU student-athletes were also recognized for their efforts in the community by winning the NEC Building Communities Award with over 3,000 community service hours. Other recent milestones include men's basketball winning the 2019 NEC championship and going on to win the first NCAA Tournament game in school history. In addition to recent championships, FDU also holds two NCAA National Championships in the sport of women's bowling (2006, 2010).
