Coaches move into new Dunning Center

The offices of several Penn sports teams relocated last week from Weightman hall into the newly renovated J. William White Training House. The "T-House," previously used as both a training center and a dining hall for athletes, will officially be renamed the James Dunning Jr. Coaches Center on February 9. According to a University statement released in the spring of 1997, the new facility will contain offices for all sports teams except football, squash, tennis and swimming. The move has been met with enthusiasm by several Penn coaches. "I'm so happy I'm speechless," men's soccer coach Brian "Rudy" Fuller said. "This is a first-rate facility. Every coach loves it." Tom McClelland, assistant coach for men's lacrosse, agreed with Fuller. "I think it's going to work out very nicely," he said. "It is a very efficient work area." By all accounts the move-in went relatively smoothly. "The move itself was an easy effort," McClelland said. "It was well-coordinated by the department." "Our entire suite [men's and women's lacrosse] came together within half a day," he added. The relocation of the men's track team also proceeded without any major problems. "Sure it was easy, but we were very organized," men's track coach Nathan Taylor said. "We had planned ahead." The newly renovated office complex will be named after 1970 Wharton graduate James Dunning. Dunning, a former undergraduate hockey and baseball player, donated $1.5 million to the University in the spring of 1997. According to Taylor, the track teams have benefited from the change of residence. "In combination, [men's and women's track] office space is now 50 to 75 percent larger than before," Taylor said. Men's soccer has also seen an expansion in office space. "Our new office is almost double the size of what we had before," Fuller said. As part of the move, men's and women's track were consolidated into the same suite. Taylor does not expect the move to affect either team significantly. "There will be some small affects, but that's it," he said. "The programs are separate, and we all know each other." The relocation has also created a mood of optimism among the athletic coaches. "We're excited; we like it," Taylor said. "It's a really attractive space, and it will invigorate all of our efforts." The increased office size has provided the teams with some additional benefits. "Now we have storage space that we didn't have before," Taylor said. "Previously, we shoved everything under our desks."