Featured Testimonial About Creighton University
By Jon Nyatawa
There’s a new on-campus home and state-of-the-art training center for the Creighton men’s and women’s golf teams.
Creighton Athletics on Sunday celebrated the unveiling of the McGraw Family Indoor Golf Facility, a nearly 4,000-square-foot performance center designed to foster student-athlete development and set the stage for both programs’ future success. The facility is located inside the Kiewit Fitness Center.
The elite training center is made possible by the generous support of Nicole and Mike McGraw and the entire McGraw family, who have long been dedicated to uplifting Creighton students by supporting academic programs and Bluejay Athletics. Nicole McGraw said the family’s $500,000 gift is a testament to the influence, inspiration and impact of her late father-in-law, Jack McGraw, BS’53, and his late wife, Joan McGraw.
“Creighton is really important to our family, not only because of the Jesuit and philanthropic values instilled in its students, but its role in helping people realize their dreams — whether they're competing on the field or they're making key decisions in a business board room,” Nicole McGraw said. “I am so grateful we can continue Jack and Joan’s legacy by giving back and creating new opportunities for students.”
The facility will undoubtedly be a game-changer for student-athletes in the men’s and women’s golf programs.
Its three custom-designed and hand-crafted golf simulators will provide student-athletes with access to year-round training opportunities. Advanced software and analytics will help student-athletes assess swing mechanics and evaluate club-to-ball impact data. Additionally, the space features putting and chipping greens, lounge areas, a kitchenette and individual lockers. The golf coaches’ offices will also be located in the McGraw Family Indoor Golf Facility.
“We are so grateful for the generosity and vision of the McGraw family, and we cannot wait to move in and get to work,” Creighton men’s golf coach Wes Bernt said. “This facility will be instrumental in shaping the future of our program and helping our student-athletes strive for excellence.”
“We are grateful and thrilled to have a place on campus where our student-athletes can work on their game and have memorable experiences together,” Creighton women’s golf coach Debbie Conry said. “This incredible facility will help us recruit and retain outstanding student-athletes who are committed to reaching their full potential on the course and in the classroom.”
The women’s golf program is just one season removed from finishing third at the 2023 BIG EAST Championship, matching the team’s 2021 performance as the program’s best-ever showing. The men’s golf team finished third place at last year’s BIG EAST Championship, its best performance since joining the league and its first top 3 team finish at a conference championship since 2007.
“This generous gift comes at a perfect time for two programs on the rise,” McCormick Endowed Athletic Director Marcus Blossom said. “We couldn’t be more thankful for the McGraw family, and their investment and belief in our student-athletes. This new facility will help our teams compete on an even playing field with top BIG EAST programs and usher in a new era of excellence for Creighton golf.”
Blossom, coaches, student-athletes, members of the McGraw family, donors and friends were all on hand to celebrate Sunday for the facility’s ceremonial ribbon cutting event.
The McGraw Family Indoor Golf Facility opened Sunday by offering a glimpse of its vibrant and welcoming atmosphere, with 20-foot-high walls accented by Bluejay logs and custom-made graphics, and a kitchen stocked with drinks and snacks.
The performance center’s convenient location on campus — inside the Kiewit Fitness Center, just steps away from the Creighton’s Skutt Student Center and its iconic St. John’s Church and fountain — adds to its allure for student-athletes.
It was important to the McGraw family that the facility accentuate the characteristics and values that define the Creighton experience. Jack and Joan McGraw both lived out the Creighton mission and encouraged their family and friends to do the same.
“Jack came from very humble beginnings, and he found an opportunity at Creighton to not only excel on the baseball field, but to also get a great education that set him up for his future,” Nicole McGraw said. “We hope this new facility contributes to the growth of Creighton’s golf programs and inspires generations of student-athletes to achieve their dreams through hard work and dedication.”
