Video: NDSU Shows Off New Football Locker Rooms
For the first time since 2011, North Dakota State enters preseason camp with unfinished business. As practice starts in Fargo, the journey back to the top of the FCS will begin in a brighter and message-filled locker room. NDSU, who won five consecutive championships from 2011-16, welcomed the team back from summer break with a new, Advent-designed player space. NDSU All Access captured the reactions of Bison players and staff on film as they explored the space, checking out their new lockers and taking in the vibrant design. “You come in here and everything seems brighter,” two-time national championship coach Chris Klieman told NDSU All Access. “We’re landlocked for space, but everything seems bigger.” Nods to past champions and NFL greats remind players that they’re part of a proud tradition, while coaching mantras keep players motivated and a roomy lounge gives them a place to unwind. Coaches tell Advent that the locker room is the most important part of their facility in the recruiting process. These spaces are player sanctuaries that reinforce the program’s care for athlete well-being. “I think it’ll definitely have an impact on recruiting,” senior cornerback Tre Dempsey said. “It lets recruits know that the people in the program care about us enough to take care of us and give us nice things like this beautiful locker room.” The football locker room is part of Advent’s ongoing projects with North Dakota State, including the 2016 opening of the Sanford Health Athletic Complex.