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Challenge Gift Of $1 Million To Boost Nutrition And Sports Performance Services Announced

LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) - A generous challenge gift of $1 million from an anonymous UNLV Athletics donor will support and enable unprecedented food, nutrition and sports performance services for UNLV's entire student-athlete community, the department announced Friday.

The pledge is designed to assist with the athletics department's renovation of the Lied Athletic Complex, which opened in 1996. The department is actively working within the community to secure matching funds. Once matched by additional gifts, the $2 million infusion will accelerate the creation of a comprehensive student-athlete development initiative within the Lied to be known as the Student-Athlete Excellence Center, pending approval by the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents.

"This is another important step in our ongoing effort to enable student-athlete excellence," said UNLV Director of Athletics Desiree Reed-Francois. "Nutrition is essential to performance in the classroom and in competition. This challenge will help build unprecedented capability and for the first time provide services aligned with sustained achievement."

Once matched and unlocked, the challenge and its impact will complement a recent commitment from Switch also intended to improve the Lied Athletic Complex and establish a studio for sports science.  

"Within the Lied, we are working to create a holistic context for growth that integrates health, wellness, nutrition, academic services, psychology, performance and sports science to provide our student-athletes a competitive edge," said UNLV Athletics Senior Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs John Gladchuk. "Above all, the space will embody our mission as we graduate leaders, pursue championships and strive to excel in all that we do."

Planning for the Lied Athletic Complex renovation is currently underway. With necessary approvals, modifications will begin this winter. The process has also benefited from generous commitments from Boyd Gaming and the Andre Agassi Foundation for Education. 

Support from Boyd will underwrite essential renovations while the Agassi Foundation's investment will advance academic services to include tutoring, counseling, mentoring and career services. 

The Switch Sports Science Studio will bridge sports science, sports performance and nutrition to foster interdisciplinary collaboration in a rapidly emerging field. It will also further establish UNLV at the center of Las Vegas' rise as the world's capital of sports.

For information on how to invest in this initiative, please visit the Rebel Athletic Fund website.

 
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