UNO Hosts Groundbreaking for $67.5 Million Athletics Project

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) hosted a ceremonial groundbreaking Friday, Sept. 18, to celebrate a $67.5 million investment in the future of Omaha Athletics, marking a major milestone in a transformational project.

University and community leaders, donors, alumni, and supporters gathered outside Baxter Arena to mark the start of construction on the $55 million Howard L. Hawks Training Center and the $12.5 million Maverick Park Clubhouse.

The privately funded project is part of the third phase of Omaha Athletics’ Campus Masterplan and represents a $67.5 million investment in the holistic student-athlete experience. Together, the facilities will modernize UNO’s athletics campus south of Center Street, provide resources designed to position Omaha Athletics among leading NCAA Division I programs, and honor the legacy of Howard L. Hawks and the philanthropic community that powers Omaha Athletics.

The Howard L. Hawks Training Center is named in honor of Regent Emeritus Howard L. Hawks, who passed away in 2024, in recognition of his legacy of leadership, service, and the family’s generosity to UNO and Omaha Athletics.

Lead donors to the facilities project are: The Hawks Families, Walter Scott Family Foundation, David and Peggy Sokol, Don C. Scott Family Foundation, Parker Family Foundation, and other anonymous donors.

Friday’s ceremony brought together University of Nebraska President Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., UNO Chancellor Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, Omaha Mayor and UNO alumnus John W. Ewing, UNO Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Adrian Dowell, University of Nebraska Foundation President and CEO Brian F. Hastings, members of the Hawks family, and supporters of Omaha Athletics.

• Rhonda Hawks, wife of Howard Hawks: “Howard believed deeply in UNO because he believed in this university’s leadership, faculty and students. To him, being a competitor meant more than winning in sports. It meant setting high expectations, doing things the right way, and always looking for the next opportunity to make a difference in the classroom or on the ‘floor.’ Howard would be incredibly honored and proud to see so many people supporting today’s groundbreaking — all centered around the same strong belief in UNO as an athletic and academic institution. Our family is grateful that the Howard L. Hawks Training Center will carry his name, and more importantly, carry forward his belief that Mavericks should never be afraid to compete with the very best.”
• Neal Hawks, son of Howard Hawks: “Jamie and I are honored to participate in today’s event and this special project, which benefits the University of Nebraska at Omaha while paying tribute to my father. He firmly believed in the importance of both education and athletics — a conviction we share. With the dedicated leadership of Chancellor Joanne Li and Athletic Director Adrian Dowell advancing this initiative, we look forward to the lasting benefits it will bring to UNO and the entire Omaha community.”
• Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., University of Nebraska System President: “A project of this scale is possible because a university, a community, and philanthropic partners share a vision in what a program can achieve, and how to get there. Together, we are giving Omaha Athletics the resources to compete with the nation’s best while investing responsibly in the long-term success of UNO and the community it serves."
• Joanne Li, Ph.D., CFA, UNO Chancellor: “We are building one of the most powerful tools UNO will have to strengthen Omaha Athletics’ identity as competitors. We have seen what is possible when we invest in our student-athletes and build on their success, including the historic momentum of our men’s basketball program with their first March Madness appearance in 2025. Our commitment is to keep that momentum moving forward. Once complete, these facilities will be a home for student-athletes to reach their full potential, where our students, alumni, and community can come together, and where Mavericks can build connections that last long after competition ends. We want exceptional student-athletes to choose Omaha, graduate from UNO, build their lives here, and become the leaders who move this city and state forward. We are incredibly grateful to the Hawks family and the network of generous philanthropic supporters who have made each phase of the Omaha Athletics Campus Masterplan possible. Together, we are sending a loud and clear message that Omaha believes in its university, and this university believes deeply in Omaha.”
• Omaha Mayor John W. Ewing, Jr.: “Everywhere you look across Omaha, you can see a city investing in what comes next. We are growing, we are building, and we are making it clear that Omaha is a place with confidence in its future. As a UNO graduate, I’m proud to see that same ambition reflected at our metropolitan university and in an Omaha Athletics program that carries our city’s name onto the national stage.”
• Adrian Dowell, UNO Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics: “The giants who came before us built the foundation for the momentum we are experiencing today, and today marks another major step forward for Omaha Athletics. Howard Hawks believed in what this program could become long before a Frozen Four, March Madness, championships, and NCAA tournament appearances became part of our story. His belief, leadership, and generosity, along with the Hawks family and our generous philanthropic community, challenged us to think bigger. We intend to honor that belief by creating an elite student-athlete experience and building a program that consistently competes on Omaha’s behalf at the highest level of college athletics.”
• Brian F. Hastings, University of Nebraska Foundation President and CEO: “The Hawks family and others in the philanthropic community have made a transformational investment in Omaha Athletics. It’s only fitting that the Howard L. Hawks Training Center bears his name because of Howard’s extraordinary impact on the University of Nebraska and our state as a businessman, alumnus, regent, philanthropist, and visionary. These new facilities will provide UNO student-athletes with the training spaces to compete at the highest level of NCAA Division I athletics while strengthening the support systems needed for their success long after graduation.”

The investment comes as Mavericks are succeeding both in competition and in the classroom. Omaha teams have competed in 18 conference championship games, won 11 conference titles, and made eight NCAA tournament appearances over the four years leading up to the project’s approval. UNO student-athletes also have achieved a 95% graduation success rate and a 3.5 cumulative GPA.

Facilities Overview

The privately funded project represents the third phase of Omaha Athletics’ Campus Masterplan, building on the transformation that began with Baxter Arena and Maverick Park.

• Howard L. Hawks Training Center: Located just east of Baxter Arena and connected by an elevated skywalk, the Howard L. Hawks Training Center will house modern practice and flex competition courts, community event areas and student-athlete support services, including academics, strength and performance, sports science, nutrition, mental health, locker rooms and lounges for select sport programs. The facility is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2028.
• Maverick Park Clubhouse: The two-story clubhouse, located at Maverick Park, will overlook Connie Claussen Field and Tal Anderson Field. The facility will become the daily home base for Maverick Baseball and Softball, bringing student-athletes, coaches, and support staff under one roof for the first time in school history. It will house year-round training areas, sports medicine, locker rooms, lounges, and coaching offices. The facility is scheduled for completion in July 2027.

Gifts to the project support Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future, a historic effort to raise $3 billion from 150,000 unique benefactors to support the University of Nebraska.