'We're catching up': New gym opens at Fresno State for student athletes

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The ribbon was officially cut for the brand-new Morse Wittwer Sports Performance Center at Fresno State, marking an investment into the future of the athletic department.

Dignitaries such as Fresno State president Saul Jimenez-Sandoval, AD Terry Tumey, and senior associate AD Tim Collins attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning.

"Having a place like this is truly amazing," said senior basketball player Anthony Holland. "Not only for our team but everyone on this campus. Many of the guys are already loving it."

The Morse Wittwer Performance Center is located inside the North Gym, named after the donor families, Chris & Michelle Morse and Ken & Kristi Wittwer, which made its construction possible thanks to a $500,000 contribution.

"We've been supporting Fresno State athletics and academics for 10-15 years now," Morse said. "When Terry and Tim presented this opportunity to help all 400 student-athletes, we thought it was a great opportunity to affect all 400 of their lives."

The performance center is stocked with up-to-date weight training equipment and iPads equipped with advanced technology to track a student-athlete's performance during a workout.

The convenience added by another weight room on campus is immense; prior to the new training facility, all 17 athletic programs shared the weight room located near the Duncan football building.

"This is one of the best things to happen to our basketball program and all the student-athletes since I've been here, having two spaces to lift weights with all the intercollegiate teams we have," said Fresno State men's basketball coach Justin Hutson. "We're catching up."

Jimenez-Sandoval said his initial reaction upon entering the facility was simple but succinct - "Wow."

"We value our student-athletes," Jimenez-Sandoval said, "because they are the ambassadors of the university to the world."