UCF Athletics got a shot in the arm after securing a $5.5 million pledge from UCF alumnus and Ethereum foundation Blockchain founder Taylor Gerring, the program announced in a press conference last February 24.
Gerring, who also vowed to donate $1 million for UFC’s official NIL collective, reaffirmed his commitment to helping his alma mater’s athletic program go through a flawless transition into the Big 12 by becoming the chief backer of the Hagle Football Gateway project.
The Hagle Football Gateway project aims to build a new football administration and coaches building at UCF. On Sunday, the UCF Board of Trustees voted to name the soon-to-be-built football center after Taylor A. Gerring in honor of his contribution to the school.
Geering, a self-professed Knights fan, said he’s just giving back to the school that nurtured his entrepreneurial mind and instilled the competitive fire in him.
“I’m happy to give back to the university to show my appreciation for everything that’s been provided to me,” he said. “My hope is that it inspires other students to achieve great things.”
The Taylor A. Gerring Football Center ???? https://t.co/rYWRj4wgx1 pic.twitter.com/XQTgBh8lOv
— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) February 22, 2024
UCF plans to create a state-of-the-art football campus to help the football team compete at the top levels and improve the fan experience. These initiatives form part of the much wider Mission XII program, which envisions expanding and improving game and practice facilities for all of the Knights’ teams across the Kenneth G. Dixon Athletic Village.
Aside from the Taylor A. Gerring Football Center, The Hagle Football Gateway will feature Nicholson Plaza, McNamara Cove, a recovery river and hydrotherapy for student-athletes, a renovated Wayne Densch Sports Center with an expanded football team locker room, the Thow Family Locker Room, improvements to UCF’s football practice complex, a new VIP parking lot, and a pedestrian promenade. Phased construction is set to begin in the spring of 2024.
