NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State University has received $1.5 million in combined gift commitments for the Indoor Practice Facility from an anonymous pair of donors, with the intent of the gifts to honor the legacy of former Deputy Director of Athletics Aaron Leetch by renaming the club in Hancock Stadium the "Aaron Leetch Stadium Club."
Original commitments were made to benefit the Indoor Practice Facility, with additional commitments made at a later time to specifically find a way to honor Leetch's legacy at Illinois State.
Leetch first worked at Illinois State from 2005 to 2011, before returning to serve as Deputy Director of Athletics in June of 2013. A gifted administrator, Aaron was a driving force behind the fundraising for the Hancock Stadium Renovation and in the construction of the club space. His passion was to make a difference in the lives of student-athletes and their collegiate experience. Aaron was a humble leader with a gift of understanding and lifting others up, who made a lifelong impact on Illinois State University. Leetch was one of seven men who lost their lives in an airplane crash on April 7, 2015, as the group was coming back from the NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis.
The Illinois State University Board of Trustees authorized the Athletics Department to proceed with the naming of the stadium club in a meeting on February 18, 2022.
"We are truly grateful for the generosity shown by these donors for their commitment to honoring Aaron and helping us build the Indoor Practice Facility," ISU Director of Athletics Kyle Brennan said. "Aaron had a vision for this indoor facility that he shared with donors, and these gifts help ensure his plans for Illinois State come to fruition. Aaron's legacy here is very important and the fact that these donors know that and understand it, is meaningful to everyone associated with Redbird Athletics. The "Aaron Leetch Stadium Club" will forever honor his legacy and impact here, and I'm thrilled to be part of this special, significant moment for Redbird Athletics and the Leetch family."
The Indoor Practice Facility will be a heated, opaque dual-membrane fabric air dome with insulation pockets for planned year-round use. The goal is to begin construction in spring 2022, with a groundbreaking date yet to be determined.
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