The Duke football program unveiled its renovated locker room in the Yoh Football Center on Monday.
“The student-athlete experience here at Duke is one of the best nationally and these renovations only emphasize that,” Duke head coach Manny Diaz said. “The upgrades will give our current and future Blue Devils a player-friendly experience, while adding to their overall development while here at Duke. There are a lot of people to thank that made this project come to life, particularly Nina King and our Starting 11 group. They understand our goals for this program and have fully supported us in that journey. We’re excited about the future of Duke football.”
Over the past eight months, the football facility underwent significant renovations to its locker room and surrounding first floor areas due to the generous donations from members of the Starting 11, the primary philanthropic group dedicated to Duke football.
“The renovation of the locker room means a lot to me and a lot to Duke football,” redshirt junior linebacker Tre Freeman said. “Thanks to everyone for all of the hard work they put in to making this happen. It’s a great feeling to have their support and it’s going to really help Duke football continue to grow for the future.”
Designed by The S/L/A/M Collaborative (SLAM), the state-of-the-art locker room boasts a modern look with innovative technological features, including antimicrobial lighting integrated into the facility’s ceiling and lockers. This cutting-edge approach utilizes clean light technology to control and mitigate the spread of harmful contaminants promoting the health and safety of the student-athlete. The antimicrobial lights operate during the evenings and will not interfere with access or use of the locker room.
“Student athlete recovery and well being is always at the forefront of our design,” Sports Design Leader with SLAM Dane Hawthorne said. “Designed during the height of the pandemic, this locker room incorporates features, like antimicrobial lighting that disinfects over 90 percent of surfaces and gear, to support the long-term success and health of athletes and staff.”
In addition to SLAM, other project consultants were Hollman (lockers), Jack Porter (experiential design), Newcomb & Boyd (engineers), and CT Wilson Construction (construction).
Duke’s 2024 season opener is slated for Friday, August 30 when it welcomes Elon to Brooks Field at Wallace Wade Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
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