Clarksville, Ark.-A busy summer of renovations and upgrades to the University of the Ozarks athletic facilities has generated plenty of excitement for the upcoming school year.  
    
The university is wrapping up a number of projects within the Mabee Sports Complex, which houses the men's and women's basketball, men's wrestling and cheerleading/STUNT teams, as well as athletic offices and athletic training room. The largest project took place in a 4,090 square foot area that previously contained the indoor swimming pool. That space has been converted into a wrestling and competitive cheer/STUNT facility. State of the art LED lighting as well as a new sound system and a new circulation fan specifically designed for large athletic facilities will be installed next week. New wrestling and cheerleading workout mats along with wall padding are expected to be installed within two weeks.
    
U of O Athletics Director Jimmy Clark credits wrestling advocate Greg Hatcher, of Little Rock, with helping the university establish its new wrestling program and facility. Hatcher, who is President of the Arkansas Wrestling Association, is funding mats and other equipment to assist the program.
    
"We are grateful for Greg's contributions and support of our wrestling program," said Clark. "His willingness to assist the University of the Ozarks is profound. His influence will be felt for many years."
    
Additionally, the Mabee Sports Complex will include a new weight room with brand new equipment and a technologically advanced sound system. A nearly 1,000 square foot racquetball court is being converted into a weight room, which will be equipped with all new Olympic free weights. According to Clark, the university spent $28,000 on the equipment, all of which was generated from the Aerie Club, the school's athletic booster club. 
    
"Our Aerie Club members have made a difference," said Clark. "We want to recognize and thank those supporters for their contributions. Our upgrades will make a difference in the student-athlete experience at the University of the Ozarks. The impact is long-lasting."
    
Within the basketball gymnasium, the university will vastly improve the lighting by adding a state of the art LED system. The lower level seating on the gymnasium's west side was removed, making room for the scorer's table and the home and visiting benches. The gym will also receive a fresh coat of paint in the coming days and oversized athletic logos will be added to the walls in the future. Each locker room will receive a facelift that includes new paint and custom crafted lockers. The coaching staff will also benefit from a remodeled classroom in the complex. The classroom now houses an expansive media room with video capabilities for analyzing game film and for holding team meetings. During the fall semester, the prior weight room will be converted into an athletic performance center, expanding the capabilities of the athletic training department. The spacious athletic performance center will allow student-athletes the opportunity to complete their injury rehabilitation process by utilizing space for functional rehabilitation and specialization in athletic conditioning.   
    
Improvements and upgrades weren't limited to the Mabee Sports Complex. The soccer, baseball and softball fields are also benefitting from the Aerie Club. Wind screens will be added around the soccer field later this month, and each field will have an improved playing surface after completion of an extensive aerification and top-dress process. 
    
According to Clark, facility appearance and presentation are a major part of recruiting top student-athletes.
    
"Recruiting is the lifeblood to the success of any collegiate athletic program at any level," said Clark. "Prospective student-athletes recognize and value quality athletic facilities. Our upgrades are impressive, and I believe they will make an impression on our recruits and current student-athletes. I appreciate our administration's investment in our athletic programs. I have seen more positive change the last year than I have in my previous twelve years here. And, our grounds and maintenance departments have done an outstanding job during the whole process."

U of O had more than 175 student-athletes compete at the NCAA Division III level during the 2013-2014 academic year. 54 student-athletes achieved American Southwest Conference All-Academic status and 22 more received All-Conference honors last year. U of O announced the addition of men's wrestling, competitive cheer/STUNT and men's and women's clay target shooting to its athletic programs earlier this year.