Coe College shows off its new athletics, recreation complex

CEDAR RAPIDS — One of the first things that stands out is the wrestling room. It's beautiful, if wrestling rooms are allowed to be beautiful.

There's a cold tub for therapy, a sauna for weight loss. Televisions are all over the place.

And this place is big. Really, really big.

Bigger than the University of Iowa's wrestling room. Big enough to fit four full mats.

'We're very excited,' Coe wrestling coach John Oostendorp said with a smile. 'Our kids are excited to be able to train in there. It really puts a nice face on our wrestling program and what we can offer our student-athletes.'

Oostendorp and the rest of Coe College's coaches showed off their new Athletics and Recreation Complex to the media Friday afternoon. A brief dedication ceremony followed.

The complex project cost was $21 million.

'It's making me happy, that's for sure,' said Coe President David McInally. 'It's everything we'd dreamed it would be and hoped it would be. In part because we looked at all the facilities at other schools with which we compete, we are able to offer now everything that they do and more.'

'It's one of the finer facilities I've seen in Division III, and it's going to help all of our programs,' said new Coe Athletics and Recreation Director Sonny Travis. 'It'll help with recruiting. The whole student body loves it. It's a great addition.'

The complex features the brand new Kohawk Arena, which seats around 1,600 spectators. There is a fitness center and bridge over College Drive that connects the arena to the existing Clark Racquet Center.

The 67-year-old Eby Fieldhouse has been renovated into a multi-purpose, multi-court facility that will be used for recreational purposes. Eby also now houses a large football locker room and indoor baseball practice areas.

The new building also has a strength and conditioning weight area that is available to all 1,400 Coe students. About 500 of those students play varsity sports, an all-time high at the college.

Then there's the wrestling room.

'With all the directions you can go, you can't be everything to all people,' McInally said. 'But there should be certain areas that really are standouts. We're in Iowa, so wrestling should be. That's where we put a lot of our chips in.'

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