The University of Northern Iowa has received the largest single donation in its 124-year history. Clark and Marion McLeod of the McLeod USA company are donating four-million dollars to be used to build a new sports arena on the Cedar Falls campus. U-N-I President Robert Koob says the new arena is important to the entire northeast Iowa area, as it will free up the UNI-Dome for conventions and other activities.U-N-I athletic director Rick Hartzell says it’s “the biggest day in UNI athletics since the UNI-Dome was built.”Hartzell says with a lead gift in hand, the effort should be able to raise the entire 15-million dollars for the project.U-N-I men’s basketball coach Sam Weaver says the reality that a new arena will be constructed is a plus for the program. He says they can now pitch the new arena to new recruits as a benefit.Weaver says a new arena would help alleviate some of the scheduling problems the basketball program faces in the UNI-Dome.U-N-I women’s basketball coach Tony Dicecco says the announcement is like winning the conference tournament or making the NCAA tournament.Dicecco says not only will this help the program in recruiting but also scheduling.
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