A season of adversity was the storyline for Jeff Lebby's first season as the head coach in Starkville, and thanks to a special announcement today, the Mississippi State program is the target of some welcome good news.
Mississippi State, the only remaining SEC program without an indoor training facility, is set to get one thanks to a "trailblazing gift" from Howard Industries.
The new indoor, which will be named in honor of multi-sport alumnus Billy W. Howard, will provide 110,000 square feet of training space for year round development for Bulldogs athletes and will be integrated seamlessly into the daily operations of the adjacently located Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex when the project is finished.
Set to cost $60 million in total, the new project will include new areas to address sports science, and advanced recovery stations in addition to other enhanced support spaces.
Currently, architects and facility planners are completing design concepts and the project is expected to break ground in 2027.
If all goes according to plan, the indoor should open in the summer of 2008, while renovations to the current student athlete spaces at the football complex will then pick up before finishing touches in 2029. Mississippi State's Bulldog Club is continuing to fundraise to secure full funding for the project.
Head coach Jeff Lebby provided the following statement on the news in the school's release.
"Words cannot truly express how incredibly grateful we are to Howard Industries and the entire Howard family for making this vision a reality. This new indoor facility will allow us to train more effectively as we compete against the best in the country week in and week out. The development of players, the injury prevention, and recovery components and the ability to prepare for Saturdays regardless of the elements outdoors is going to have tremendous impacts on our program. We are grateful for the investment in Mississippi State football and are working tirelessly to make all Bulldog fans proud."
The school shared the following video highlighting the Howard family and their story to honor the family that has made this project possible.