University of Miami basketball programs get $1 million gift to update training facility

Coaches Jim Larranaga and Katie Meier will soon have a new $1 million training facility to show off to University of Miami basketball recruits.

The university announced Tuesday that Miami alumnus Stephen Symons and his wife, Susan, have pledged a $1 million gift to renovate the Watsco Center Multi-Purpose Room into a 7,500-square-foot state-of-the-art training facility for Hurricanes men’s and women’s basketball.

It will include a strength and conditioning room, recovery area, nutrition bar and office space for support and medical staff. The facility will be named the Susan and Stephen Symons Basketball Training Facility.

Larranaga, whose team is coming off its first Elite Eight NCAA Tournament run, was elated with the news.

“The generous donation that the Symons have contributed is a clear message to our players and program and other supporters of the University of Miami that we’re going to do things in a first-class manner,” Larranaga told the Herald. “We need more people to step up and keep providing us the financial resources to do the things we need to do to stay competitive not only in the ACC but on a national level.”

He pointed out that in the past year, UM has made a substantial commitment to athletics by going after and hiring football coach Mario Cristobal to an $80 million contract, investing in the football program, and then hiring athletic director Dan Radakovich from Clemson.

“Dan is recognized as a builder, someone who really invests in the infrastructure of your athletic programs, so by building a new weight room and training room for the men’s and women’s basketball programs, it basically says to me Dan has arrived with his blueprint,” Larranaga said. “He’s going to execute his plan like he did at Georgia Tech and Clemson, and the university is behind him to be sure we can be successful in all sports.”

Radakovich called the new training facility “a game changer” for the basketball programs, both of which attracted nationally coveted transfers in the off-season. Nijel Pack (Kansas State) and Norchad Omier (Arkansas State) joined the men’s team and twins Hanna and Haley Cavinder left Fresno State for UM.

Meier said the new facility will take the UM basketball teams to new heights. Her team reached its first ACC title game in March, knocking off Top 25 opponents in back-to-back games, including a thriller over No. 2 Louisville.

“I cannot express how grateful the University of Miami women’s basketball program is for the generosity and dedication shown by Susan and Stephen,” Meier said. “Elite performance on the basketball court is driven not only by strength and conditioning, but also through recovery, nutrition and medical care. This new, state-of-the-art facility will encompass all those areas, transforming the way our student-athletes train to compete at the highest level.”

Larranaga said it is vital to keep improving facilities to compete in recruiting.

“You cannot stand still in college athletics,” Larranaga said. “There are always new things, transfer portal, NIL, new rules and you are constantly reinventing yourself and rebranding. If you fall behind in any category, you’ll have a hard time recovering.”

The Symons have homes in Harrisburg, Pa., and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Stephen graduated from the UM College of Arts & Sciences in 1966, and their granddaughter Elinor graduated from UM this past spring. Stephen is a member of the Golden Canes and a longtime football and basketball season ticket holder.

“The University of Miami is a big part of some of the happiest experiences and memories of my life so far,” Symons said. “And now as my granddaughter is a proud alum of The U and heads to Los Angeles to pursue her master’s degree in fine arts at the American Film Institute, I can assure everyone that the University of Miami will be a big part of some of the happiest experiences in my future. I met Susan in 1964 at The U and we are very proud and very grateful to be able to support sports programs that add so much value to the college and alumni experience. Go Canes!”