Athletics receives alumnus donation

With all the changes recently to the IU football program, including a new head coach, uniforms and team colors, a change to the facilities was in order. Despite not playing for the Hoosiers in more than a decade, former IU quarterback and current Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green has donated enough money to allow the Hoosiers to construct a new locker room.\nThe existing one, which was constructed in 1986, now will be updated by adding new carpeting, lighting and custom-built oak lockers for up to 105 players. \nEven though many of the players are gone for the summer, this hasn't kept the buzz of a new locker room from exciting the team.\n"It's a step in the right direction," said Justin Frye, a red-shirt freshman offensive lineman. "The new lockers will allow for more communication with other players and help the program."\nWhile Green and his wife Julie have been donating to the Varsity Club for many years, this donation was something Green said he had aspired to do for some time.\n"My wife and I have always wanted to give back to the University," Green said in a news release. "We just wanted to be a part of that, and get IU football back to a place where we're going to bowl games."\nDespite Green's interest in donating the necessary funds for a new locker room, it wasn't until former Indiana head football Coach Bill Mallory got involved with the Varsity Club that the ball got rolling on the donation. Mallory was Green's coach during the time he was at IU, and Mallory is also IU's winningest football coach. The Varsity Club even went to Kansas City to meet with Green to talk about the the funds necessary for the locker room.\n"Trent wanted to make a gift to impact the football program," IU Varsity Club Director Scott Dolson said. "It's good for the football program to see support and to help the program get back on to a national stage."\nAlong with a successful football career in Kansas City, Green was also successful before departing to the NFL. Green currently ranks fourth at IU in all-time passing yards with 5,400 career yards. He was also a member of two bowl teams, the 1990 Peach Bowl and IU's last bowl victory, a 24-0 win over Baylor in the 1991 Copper Bowl.\n"I believe when a student gives back to his or her university, it is a tremendous compliment to the university," Indiana football coach Gerry DiNardo said in a press release. "It is a reflection upon the experience the student had while at Indiana."\nConstruction for the new locker room is planned to be completed in time for the first home football game Sept. 1 against Indiana State University.