Murray State Athletics Receives Record $1.25 Million Gift from Tommy and Sandy Draffen

Murray State Athletics has received a generous $1.25 million gift from Tommy and Sandy Draffen that will directly impact the newly announced Roy Stewart Stadium weight room renovation and secure the naming rights for the Draffen Family Performance Center, it was announced on Monday afternoon.

The generous contribution made by the Draffen family marks the largest-ever single investment to MSU Athletics in department history.

"We cannot thank Tommy and Sandy enough for this incredibly generous contribution to our department," Director of Athletics Nico Yantko said. "With this investment, we are greatly enhancing our facilities footprint and have taken a significant step towards other future projects. We are excited to get to work and cannot wait to unveil the Draffen Family Performance Center."

With this gift, the Racers will begin progress on a newly renovated, modern weight room that will impact 13 sport programs, including the football team, as well as additional future capital projects within the athletics footprint. The space will be fully operational by Summer 2024.

"Sandy and I are delighted to be able to invest in crucial infrastructure that will benefit current and future Racers for years to come," Tommy Draffen said. "Murray State is a very special place to us and we feel strongly about the vision and commitment to enhance the athletic facilities and sports programs. We knew this was the right time to give back and are excited about the impact that this performance space will have on all Racer student-athletes and look forward to its completion in the next few months."

A renovation phase will kick off the project with some light demo and fresh paint. The space will then be outfitted with state-of-the-art weight equipment and machines, including new racks, plates, dumbbells, benches and more. All of the equipment will feature Murray State branding.

This project will nearly complete the transformational overhaul of the lower level of Roy Stewart Stadium, which has already seen significant enhancements and renovations to the football team room, the football player lounge and the football coaches suite.

The Racer Club plays a crucial role in helping support student-athlete scholarships, general operating budget, and facility enhancements. Investors play a critical role in funding the student-athlete experience and the competitive success of Murray State Athletics programs and student-athletes.

For more information on how to join the Racer Club, call (270) 809-3517 or click HERE.

Follow the Racers on Twitter (@MSURacers), Instagram (@RacersAthletics) and Facebook to stay up-to-date on all that is happening with Murray State Athletics.

Murray State University

Murray State Athletics Receives Record $1.25 Million Gift from Tommy and Sandy Draffen

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