Soaring to VictoryFootball Operations Center

I don’t have to tell you that ath-

letics is important to Georgia

Southern University. And I prob-

ably don’t have to tell you that

football is the jewel in our athletic

crown. All one has to do is attend a game

at Paulson Stadium and see the six na-

tional championship flags flying proudly

above the stands. Even more magnificent

is the sight of Freedom, Georgia South-

ern’s bald eagle, soaring above the crowd

before the game begins.

Just as important to Georgia

Southern is our focus on academic excel-

lence for our students. There is a reason

they are called “student-athletes.” We

expect our student-athletes to be just as

successful in the classroom as they are

on the field. The Athletics’ Rings & Di-

plomas program strives to help each of

our 400 student-athletes win a cham-

pionship ring and earn their diploma.

Our ultimate goal is to ensure that the

coaches and athletes have all they need

to be successful in both endeavors.

The construction of a new foot-

ball operations center in the east end

zone of Paulson Stadium is a major in-

vestment in our efforts to position our

football program as a perennial national

contender. This building will be one of

the finest facilities of its kind in the entire

country. It will allow us to recruit, train,

and develop the highest-caliber student-

athletes. It will also help other athletic

programs at the University by providing

better space utilization and training for

over two-thirds of our athletes in other

sports.

As competition for the best stu-

dent-athletes becomes more fierce every

year, we must do all that we can to fur-

ther position our football program as a

national powerhouse. Our alumni and

supporters are vocal in their desire to see

a seventh national championship flag fly

above Paulson Stadium and a return to

the “Glory Days.” I personally invite you

to join many others as we strive to make

this dream come true. Our combined ef-

forts today will ensure our future success,

and you will have the heartfelt thanks of

a great Eagle Nation.

Go Eagles!

Brooks A. Keel, Ph.D.

President

“This building will be one of the

finest facilities of its kind in the

entire country. It will allow us

to recruit, train, and develop the

highest-caliber student-athletes. ”

Georgia Southern

Football’s unprec-

edented six National

Championships, eight

Southern Conference

Titles, three national Player of the Year

recipients, and over seventy All-Ameri-

cans are the benchmark for football pro-

grams across the nation at the FCS

level. Our history and tradition

are second to none at any level,

and the importance of football at

our University, and in our commu-

nity, is the envy of programs

throughout collegiate sports.

As one of college

football’s elite programs,

GSU has been able to

attract some incredibly

talented athletes, many

of whom have become legends among

our Eagle faithful…Ham, Smith, Hill,

Stokes, Peterson, Foster to name a few.

Countless players have received national

honors and several have played profes-

sionally after their great careers at Geor-

gia Southern. Along with that, we have

fielded championship teams by taking

pride in the hallmarks of our program,

inspired by Erk Russell’s leadership in

his first teams, having a blue-collar work

ethic and a never-say-die attitude.

Through the years, and the champi-

onships, we have built our facilities, both

out of necessity and in an attempt to

keep up with our competition. Though

we have been the standard for others

in terms of our on-the-field success, we

have continually had to overcome facil-

ity issues in competing for prospects and

in player development. We are now at

the point where we have fallen behind.

We are no longer competitive in re-

cruiting with many programs, in particu-

lar, FCS powers like Appalachian State.

Frankly stated, our operations facilities

are far inferior to top programs and are

creating challenges for us to win in re-

cruiting and on the field.

With the construction of the pro-

posed 57,000 square foot football op-

erations center in the east end zone of

Paulson Stadium, our facilities will be

among the best in FCS football and rival

many FBS programs. The facility will

not only create the recruiting advantage

that we desire, but will allow us to bet-

ter train and prepare our team to con-

tinue to play championship level football

and position us to be an elite program

at this level for decades to come. It will

also give us the necessary facility to be a

viable candidate for a move up if repo-

sitioning of college football conferences

takes place in the coming years.

It’s my job to see that each one of our

student-athletes is honored with a cham-

pionship ring and a diploma from Geor-

gia Southern University. I am proud to

be a part of a team that supports these

same goals for our young people. Please

join us as we work to ensure that “Rings

and Diplomas” is fulfilled.

Respectfully,

Jeff Monken

Head Football Coach

Football Operations Center Location: East end of Paulson Stadium on Lanier Drive

Proposed building size: 57,000 square feet

Fundraising goal: $10,000,000*

* Largest privately funded project in the history of Georgia Southern University.

Above: Lanier Drive View / Erk Russell Plaza

Co-Building Naming Gift $1,500,000Hall of Fame $1,000,000Team Meeting Room $500,000Players’ Lounge $500,000Erk Russell Plaza $250,000Head Coach’s Office $250,000Offensive Conference Room $250,000Defensive Conference Room $250,000Welcome Center / Reception $250,000

Video Production Suite $150,000Coordinator Office $100,000 (2)Player Personnel Office $50,000Recruiting Coordinator Office $50,000Position Coach Office $50,000 (10)Large Position Meeting Room $50,000 (2) Staff Break Room $25,000Staff Work Room $25,000Video Production Staff Office $25,000 (3)

Position Meeting Room $25,000 (4)Catering Kitchen $10,000Head Coach Admin Asst $10,000Academic Center $10,000Main Floor Men’s Restroom $10,000Main Floor Women’s Restroom $10,000Video Production Room (Green / Archive) $10,000 (2)

Naming Opportunities:

Main Floor

Above: Paulson Field View

“You cannot fly like an eagle with the wings of a wren.” - William Henry Hudson

Above: Paulson Field View

Lower Floor

Locker Room $500,000Weight Room $500,000Sports Medicine / Rehabilitation Center $500,000Equipment Room $250,000Tracy Ham Locker / Display Sponsorship $250,000Adrian Peterson Locker / Display Sponsorship $250,000Hydrotherapy Rehabilitation Room $150,000Coaches’ Locker Room $50,000Staff Office $25,000 (7)

Physicians’ Examination Room $25,000Game Day Equipment Room $10,000Nutrition Room $10,000Laundry Room $10,000Team Showers $10,000Women’s Staff Managers’ Locker Room $10,000Men’s Staff Managers’ Locker Room $10,000Player Shoe Room $10,000

Naming Opportunities:

Football Operations Center

Soaring to VictoryGeorgia Southern University Athletic FoundationP.O. BOX 8115-01

STATESBORO, GEORGIA 30460-8115

1-912-478-5520

www.ringsanddiplomas.com