NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State Athletics announced on Thursday that the hitting bays inside the Jim and Carole Mounier Golf Performance Lab at Weibring Golf Club will be named the Percy Family Hitting Bay and the Sarah Loomis Hitting Bay. The naming comes in conjunction with a significant investment into the Redbird golf programs, which was approved at the February 20, 2026, Illinois State Board of Trustees meeting. The Mounier Golf Performance Lab arrived in Normal this week and installation has begun.
"We are incredibly thankful for the Percy Family and Sarah Loomis, who have stepped up to support our golf student-athletes," ISU Director of Athletics Dr. Jeri Beggs said. "We are thankful for their dedication to providing quality facility improvements for our golfers, which will help continue to make the Mounier Golf Training Center at Weibring Golf Club even better than it is now. Rick and Sarah know first-hand from their time spent at ISU the type of experience we can give to our student-athletes and the lasting impact it can have on their future. We thank them both for their continued generosity and passion for Redbird Athletics."
Rick Percy is an Illinois State graduate and former Redbird golf student-athlete who has enjoyed a long history of supporting the Redbirds, including the naming of the Illinois State Athletics Percy Family Hall of Fame which will have a permanent display unveiled on the Julie and Bob Dobski Concourse at CEFCU Arena in April. The Percy family has held a leadership stake within Clemens Insurance for many years and serves as a strong pillar of the Bloomington-Normal community. Â
"Golf has always been an important part of my life, and the values it teaches—hard work, integrity, and perseverance—are ones my family believes in deeply," Percy stated. "Supporting Illinois State golf is something we chose to do together, as a way to give back to a program and a game that have given so much to me. As a family, we're proud to help create opportunities for today's student athletes to grow, compete, and build their own lifelong connection to Redbird Golf."
Loomis is a former Illinois State Women's Golf student-athlete who earned a degree in management in 2005 and proudly supports Illinois State. Sarah has built a successful business career with Caterpillar and now resides in Denver, Colorado. Loomis' financial commitment to ISU Athletics will continue to enhance student-athlete experiences for years to come.
"My time as a student-athlete helped shape my work ethic, my values, and ultimately the path my life has taken," Loomis said. "It made me what I am today, and giving back is a way to say thank you and support the opportunities for future student-athletes. I have always believed in giving back to the places that helped shape my life. Being a student-athlete at Illinois State University meant so much to me, and I'll always be thankful for the opportunities it provided. I hope this gift helps ensure future student-athletes have the same support, resources, and experiences that made such a difference in my life."
The Jim and Carole Mounier Golf Performance Lab will have hitting bays with doors to hit onto the driving range, with heaters installed for student-athletes to use the space to hit onto the range year-round. The 650-plus square foot building, built by First Galena in Racine, Wisconsin and outfitted by Design2Golf, includes two simulator screens on the side walls powered by Foresight software and GC Quad launch monitors as well as video capabilities from multiple angles for immediate player feedback. In addition, GASP force plates will be added soon.
"The Percy Family has been so generous in support of Redbird Athletics and the golf program over the years, and Rick has continued to make a difference since his days wearing the red and white exemplifying what it means to be a Redbird for Life," ISU head men's golf coach Ray Kralis said. "We are so appreciative of this transformational gift that will have an immediate impact on our squad and change the game when recruiting our next Redbirds. On behalf of our current and future student-athletes, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Rick and Kim for helping to make this dream a reality."
The building adds to the already spectacular Mounier Golf Training Center, a 27-acre private golf park, whose features among the rolling terrain include eight target greens, bunkers, fairway lanes, four types of grasses for a variety of lies and added definition, and multiple tees so you can hit in any wind direction. The facility also has a complete short game area so every shot in golf can be created and practiced. The short-game facility has two USGA greens surrounded by multiple bunkers and rolling terrain and a third green for chipping, pitching, and distance wedges so every shot inside of 125 yards can be created and practiced. The green complexes feature multiple slopes and tiers placing a premium on distance control when putting and spin/trajectory control when chipping and pitching.
"Our program is beyond thankful to Sarah Loomis for making a positive impact on Redbird Golf," ISU women's golf head coach Jackie Szymoniak said. "She sees the value in investing in our facilities and strengthening the overall experience of our student-athletes. This generous gift enhances the pathway to recruit, retain and develop current and future Redbirds. The hitting bays will be equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, thus providing the most insightful data for swing and shot analysis. To have the ability to hit from inside to outside in a conditioned space and to see ball flight, no matter the weather, will be pivotal in the continued elevation of our student-athletes."
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