GREENSBORO, N.C. – The motivation for investing in UNC Greensboro (UNCG) is simple for Al and Brenda Bodford: Supporting and impacting the community.
Bodford's entire family, including their children, Amy and Jason, were born and raised in the Triad and have lived in Greensboro for over 30 years. They have enjoyed witnessing the tremendous growth of the UNCG athletics department.
It's a major reason why the renovated Bodford Family Speed, Strength & Conditioning Center will have their family's name permanently attached to it.
"We are excited by the exceptional academic programs and competitive athletic teams," Al Bodford said. "The high caliber of students graduating each year provides an immeasurable impact on the North Carolina community and beyond. The level of excitement and appreciation from students and staff for the new Speed, Strength & Conditioning Center has confirmed this was the right decision for our family."
The Bodford Family Speed, Strength & Conditioning Center provides a strong recruiting tool for prospective student-athletes and coaches.
"We are deeply grateful to Al and Brenda and Jason for their generosity. This gift is an expression of their confidence and belief in UNCG and UNCG Athletics. It will provide significant, tangible benefits to our student-athletes for generations to come," said UNCG Chancellor Franklin D. Gilliam, Jr. "The Bodford Family Speed, Strength & Conditioning Center is truly a transformational facility for us. It changes the way we can prepare, develop, and support our student-athletes, our teams, and our coaches. We already see how thrilled our Spartans are to have access to a truly world-class facility and how inspired they are by the giving spirit of the Bodford family that made it possible."
The UNCG volleyball team was the first squad to work out in the well-lit facility complete with state-of-the-art and high-tech weightlifting, fitness, and training equipment like glute/ham developers, lat pulldown/low row apparatus', jump mats, chains, and a pit shark.
The Bodford Family Speed, Strength & Conditioning Center is one of the initiatives of the UNCG 5 for 5 Campaign for Champions, a fundraising campaign to transform student-athlete academic and support facilities. It's also an effort to recruit and retain top coaches to lead UNCG's 17 Division I athletic teams.
"The Bodford family has made a transformational gift to Spartan athletics and it will impact each of our student-athletes for years to come," said Kim Record, UNCG's Director of Athletics. "Jason Bodford, as a former student-athlete values competitive excellence and committed to ensuring that our teams have every tool available to be successful."
Jason Bodford, who has worked in transportation and supply chain in the EPES organization and at EPES Logistics for over 25 years, is passionate about continuing the advancement of Spartan Athletics. The potential growth opportunities for UNCG athletics inspired him to support the program.
"UNCG makes it so easy to want to give," Jason said. "The staff from the top to the front line has provided exceptional service in every way possible. When you give to UNCG, you know you are making a real and measurable impact. Unlike at some of the larger competing schools, every dollar counts. It was not a difficult decision to give. UNCG made it that way and continues to do so. We look forward to watching the athletic programs continue to grow and compete with other top programs."
