Neill McGeachy Sports Performance Center
VIRTUAL TOUR (Classroom Meeting Space)
VIRTUAL TOUR (Bears Club Pavilion and Sports Performance Center)
HICKORY, N.C. AND FACILITY SPOTLIGHT VIDEO
Announced in August 2018, the $3.2 million facility was fundraised and built in just 12 months time. Officially opened on Saturday, September 7, 2019 the Neill McGeachy Sports Performance Center features 14,000 square feet of new and enhanced multiuse training space, a weight room, nutrition bar, indoor turf training area, dedicated team meeting rooms, additional coaches' offices, and a covered Bears Club pavilion. The facility supports student-athletes in all 22 intercollegiate sports in both sports performance and personal development. The center also supports the growing needs of the Bears Club by providing a covered pavilion for hosting game-day hospitality events, as well as providing dynamic engagement space for teams and the broader campus community to use throughout the year.
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Baseball Stadium
The Lenoir-Rhyne University Baseball Field is the home of the 2001 South Atlantic Conference Champions as well as the 2000 and 2001 South Atlantic Conference Tournament Champions. Bears Field, which opened in 1924, has a capacity of 500.
The field has undergone several major renovations within the past few years. A new grass infield was installed as well as a new state-of-the-art scoreboard and dugout protectors prior to the 2007 season. Just before the 2008 campaign, permanent lights were installed for the first time in school history and a new batting cage was built behind the left field fence. Finally, a new wooden fence was installed just in time for the 2009 campaign.
A new press box and locker rooms (as part of the John and Marilyn Moretz Sports Center) are on the drawing board of the Moretz Sports-Athletic Complex.
Softball
The Lenoir-Rhyne University Softball Field is home to the 2000, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2016 South Atlantic Conference regular season co-champions as well as the 2000, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 South Atlantic Conference Tournament Champions. Lenoir-Rhyne hosted its first-ever NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Tournament in 2009 and hosted subsequent playoff tournaments in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
In 1998, Bears Field received new home and away dugouts with storage facilities as well as a new press box. Prior to to the 2008 season, a state-of-the-art scoreboard and permanent lights were installed. Bears Field has a seating capacity of 500. Recently, a new backstop was added and concrete was laid down under the bleachers.
Soccer Field and the Irwin Belk Track at The Moretz Sports - Athletic Complex
The Lenoir-Rhyne University Soccer Field, also known as Bears Field, underwent dramatic changes for the 2008 season. The field got a total makeover and will be surrounded by the Irwin Belk Track that includes a state-of-the-art mondo surface and lights. Permanent bleachers were installed prior to the 2018 season and a new press box is in the plans. The facility is part of the larger Moretz Sports - Athletic Complex.
Helen and Leonard Moretz Stadium
Moretz Stadium has been home to the Lenoir-Rhyne Football program since the early 1920s. The Bears' home football facility was renamed in 1989 the Helen & Leonard Moretz Stadium, honoring two longtime Lenoir-Rhyne supporters. Originally, it also shared time with the baseball program until a new baseball field was constructed and major renovations were given to Moretz Stadium.
The stadium capacity after the renovations increased its capacity to 9,500 but later dropped to 8,500 after a section of the visitors seating was removed following the 1982 season. Moretz Stadium is the largest on-campus stadium in the South Atlantic Conference and is widely recognized as one of the finest small college football stadiums in the nation. In addition, Moretz Stadium became home to the men's and women's lacrosse teams after the programs' addition in 2011.
Prior to 2011, Lenoir-Rhyne added a state-of-the-art Model 3680 Outdoor LED Football Scoreboard (built by Electro-Mech) and installed FieldTurf in 2015. The next turf installation was part of a $1.1 million dollar project which included a new drainage system and several other improvements.
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Shuford Memorial Gymnasium/John Lentz Court
Shuford Memorial Gymnasium has been home to the Lenoir-Rhyne Men's and Women's Basketball Teams as well as the Bears' Volleyball Program since the 1956-57 season . Shuford Gym has a capacity of 3,200 and was erected in the memory of the late A. Alex Shuford, Sr.
Shuford Athletics Complex also houses the Lenoir-Rhyne University Athletics Department, part of the College's School of Health Sciences and the Bears Club.
Major renovations have occurred recently to the gymnasium. The lower bleachers were replaced prior to the 2014-15 season.
In 2020, the gym received all new banners to commemorate championship men's and women's basketball teams as well as volleyball.
Also in 2020, the floor was officially named after longtime men's basketball coach John Lentz.
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Moretz Gym
Completely updated and redesigned in 2020, the Moretz Gym offers a separate practice facility for both indoor and outdoor sports. Additional upgrades include: painting of ceiling and walls, new JayPro hung baskets for the main court, new wall-mounted JayPro baskets for the side courts, new wall padding under each basket with LR logos, PlayOn Courts installed a new VIP II floating gym floor system that includes vibration control padding, replaced all doors. Additionally, a new baseball/softball batting cage that is 75'x14' that is retractable into the ceiling was installed. This means that in less than five minutes, baseball/softball can convert the area into a practice space with them that includes an 80-foot turf roll out that will go under the batting cage for floor protection.
Shuford Physical Education Center Pool
The Shuford Physical Education Center contains an Olympic-style, state-of-the-art indoor swimming pool. The pool hosts several club, high school and collegiate events and is one of the finest pools in Western North Carolina.
Lenoir-Rhyne launched the women's swimming program in 2007-08 while the men's team came on board in 2010-11.
Pool Hours of Operation
The Goodman Family Sports Medicine Center
The Goodman Family Sports Medicine Center, opened in 2002 in conjunction with the McCrorie Center, is a state-of-the art training and rehabilitation center that includes clinical areas and a hydrotherapy facility. In addition, the center also houses the sports medicine faculty offices.
The Lenoir-Rhyne Auxiliary Athletic Weight Room
The Lenoir-Rhyne Auxiliary Athletic Weight Room offers an alternate training facility designed specifically to support the student-athletes' needs.
YMCA of Catawba Valley
The YMCA of Catawba Valley, located just outside of downtown Hickory, N.C., is the home of both the Lenoir-Rhyne University Men's and Women's Tennis Teams. The facility has six United States Open-style hard courts within walking distance of the campus. The players also have locker rooms, a lounge and wifi access at the courts. The Bears began playing at the facility in 2017-18.
The Robert Miller Short Game Facility
Built during the summer of 2014, the Robert Miller Short Game Facility includes a 30' X 40' putting green, fringe and rough, a sand trap and four hitting areas. The facility is located right beside the McCrorie Center.
