DECATUR, Ill. – The usually quiet Millikin University campus atmosphere has been more lively this summer as construction work on the upcoming $12.3 million David J. Rathje and Debra C. Rathje Athletic Center is underway.
Bulldozers and excavators are hard at work on the new 17,655-square-foot facility, located south of Frank M. Lindsay Field and west of Griswold Physical Education Center.
The Rathje Athletic Center is expected to be completed in the summer of 2025 with BLDD, a Decatur firm, as the project's architectural partner.
The project is the latest transformation on Millikin’s campus, following projects like the Workman Family Baseball Field and the Center for Theatre & Dance. It was funded completely by donations, including generous lead gifts from David ’58 and Debra Rathje, Jim Perryman ’83, and the Perryman family.
The building floor plan includes:
• A weight room named in honor of former Big Blue Football Coach Carl Poelker ’68 and Jim Perryman ’83, a former NFL player.
• Locker rooms to accommodate football and men's and women's track and field.
• A training room, conference room, and a team meeting room for multi-purpose use.
• Football Hall of Fame, retired jersey, and team recognition area.
• Offices for Football, Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Coaches and Athletic Director.
Take a look at the 3D renderings of the weight room in the new Rathje Athletic Center here.
The facility will also alleviate congestion in the Griswold Center and provide support to Big Blue student-athletes participating in Millikin Athletics’ 22 different sports. In total, nearly 40% of Millikin’s students are current student-athletes or have participated in the past.
The project will also allow Millikin to host CCIW and NCAA championship competitions in the future.
To learn more about the Rathje Athletic Center or to make a gift supporting this project, visit millikin.edu/athletic-center.
