Student-Athletes Charged Up to Train in New Peterson Performance Center

When Carleigh Vedder ’24, ’25 M.S. first walked into the University’s new Peterson Performance Center, she says she felt starstruck. The talented athletes who were training here weren’t world-famous athletes – they were her fellow Chargers. And Vedder herself.

A Minnesota native, Vedder is a member of the Chargers volleyball team. The PPC serves all student athletes, offering a world-class facility for them to train individually and as teams.

“I’m big on working out, and it’s my passion,” she said. “A facility like this is beyond my wildest dreams. Having this space for student-athletes and the sense of community it offers is great.”

‘There’s nothing like this’

Officially opened earlier this summer, the PPC offers a multitude of opportunities for the University’s more than 500 student-athletes to up their game. Staff saw more student-athletes working out on campus over the summer, and they were charged up to be using the new space.

The new facility offers a world-class weight room full of natural light and stocked with top-of-the-line equipment, from dumbbells emblazoned with the Charger logo (the logo rotates so that the Charger is always upright, no matter how the weights are stacked) to a Charger blue and gold turf area. Student-athletes can also get in their cardio on the second level, where they can run on treadmills overlooking the weight training area.

Jonathan Mays, Ph.D., interim director of athletics, was a part of the design process. He says being in the facility now is even better than he’d ever imagined. It’s a space that, he says, is inviting, motivating for student-athletes, and exciting for prospective students.

“Compared to the rest of our conference and the region, there’s nothing like this,” he said. We’ve had Division I transfers and other recruits come through here. It’s state-of-the-art. It’s not just weights, but it’s sports performance. It’s everything that goes with being a better athlete.”

‘A place to train at a high level’

The facility, which includes offices for athletics administration and coaches, also offers state-of-the-art sports medicine space, as well as a nutrition center. Giye Jenkins ’25 has already been using the space. As a member of the football team, he believes the PPC is well-equipped to enable him and his fellow Chargers to build their strength even faster and to develop the intricate muscles they’ll need to excel on the gridiron.

Jenkins lights up as he describes the new football locker room, a space he describes as “amazing,” “beautiful,” and “first class.” It’s easy to get charged up for a game there, he says, with the TVs, speakers, and Bluetooth technology.

“After practice, our energy and morale are so high,” said Jenkins, a computer science major. “This top-notch facility is a dream. I’m living my college football dream.”

Every square inch of the facility was methodically thought out, says David Faugno ’09 M.S., head strength and conditioning coach who worked closely with the building’s architects. He says that throughout the design process, they had three important rules to follow when it came to every square inch of space: No short cuts, only the highest-quality materials and equipment, and rules one and two were nonnegotiable.

“After two and a half years of designing this space, seeing the students’ faces and what the space will offer them is so rewarding,” said Faugno. “It’s fun – and they can’t believe the size and the detail. From a recruiting standpoint, it’s a Division I-level space. It’s a place to train at a very high level. Coaches are experiencing the changes too, as we can recruit athletes we never could before.”

‘Our vision’

The space is not yet complete, as construction continues on the third level. When it’s finished, it will offer a team meeting room that can be split into thirds, enabling nearly 200 athletes to collaborate. That’s also where coaches will have offices, and there will be additional bathrooms. The University is also enhancing the adjacent Jeffery P. Hazell Athletic Center.

The PPC is named in honor of David Peterson Jr. ’88, ’17 Hon., who has generously supported the development of the center. A former member of the Chargers football team and an Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Peterson is excited to see the opportunities the space will offer to today’s and tomorrow’s student-athletes.

“I enjoy giving back to the athletics program because it makes a direct impact on student-athletes’ lives,” said Peterson, a member of the University’s Board of Governors. “It’s only been open a short time, and its already making a huge difference in their lives. The PPC is now one of top training facilities in the country, period. They will never regret saying, ‘I worked out at the PPC today.’ I’m proud to be a part of this transformation. We are just getting started!”

“Alumni support is why we’ve grown so much as a school,” added Jenkins. “Their support has allowed us to renovate and enhance our facilities. Our alumni – especially our football alumni – have made us a pillar school. I’m so grateful for that.”

Several generous University alumni and former student-athletes have also supported the PPC. David Loane ’91 (also a football alum) and Penny Loane ’91, who earned degrees in general dietetics, respectively, have offered their support of the PPC’s new nutrition station.

“Being part of the Peterson Performance Center and adding a nutrition component to this facility was extremely important to us,” they said. “When we started talking about how to help the athletes, it was always our vision to get a nutrition center with a nutrition bar, grab-and-go meals for athletes, a nutrition professional to help educate and assist athletes, and an athletic cafeteria.”

‘Being a student-athlete is a unique experience’

The nutrition professional is Caroline “Ting” Ashworth ’25 M.S., who is also an experienced student-athlete. Ashworth has played soccer since she was in the second grade. Interested in ensuring that she always performed her best, she became interested in nutrition when she was a senior in high school.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in nutrition sciences from Drexel University, Ashworth decided to pursue her master’s degree in nutrition sciences at the University of New Haven. A sports nutrition graduate assistant, she is committed to making sure Chargers feel and perform their best. She’s already been creating a wide array of tasty, energy-packed smoothies and other treats to ensure that student-athletes are fully charged and ready to excel.

Ashworth hopes to eventually expand her role beyond creating wholesome foods for student-athletes. She envisions teaching them to take their nutrition into their own hands, perhaps by offering student-athletes the chance to learn how to cook and prepare healthy foods, such as energy bowls. She’s looking forward to meeting with teams and with athletes one-on-one during the academic year.

“I’m building a fueling station beyond proteins and bars,” she said. “I want athletes to have access to whole foods such as yogurt and fruit. I think making an impact on athletes’ performance, as well as their lives, is so important. I want them to know how to eat well outside of athletics. I’m excited to build this from the ground up.”

Vedder, the volleyball player and marketing and nutrition sciences major, is also looking forward to taking advantage of the nutrition station and to working with Ashworth when she’s in the PPC. She also had the opportunity to meet David and Penny Loane at an event – and she says meeting them was a bit like walking into the PPC for the first time.

“I was starstruck when I met them,” she said. “Penny Loane is a dietitian, and seeing their success and the pride they had coming here was incredible. Being a student-athlete is a unique experience, and having this space for us, as well as the support of the Charger community, is great.”