The newly renovated Bultman Center is almost back to full swing after undergoing a series of renovations over the past few months. Since being built in 1995, the athletic facility was overdue for a facelift. This is the first of a two-part phase that began in April of 2021 and is nearing total completion.
Athletic teams gradually began using the facility throughout the fall, but the official opening for all public was on Wednesday, September 29. Dr. Micah Parker, Northwestern’s vice president for athletics, led a dedication ceremony held in the lobby before the Raider volleyball team used the gym for the first time in the competition. They earned a decisive victory over Dakota Wesleyan. The Raiders beat the Tigers 3-1 and recorded NW’s first victory in the new and improved Bultman Center.
A remodel of the gym, including the brand-new John and Ann Den Hartog court, fresh red bleachers and balcony seating, updated gym wall pads and a modernized scorers’ table, were among several other improvements. The lobby now includes new Raider athletic branding, upgraded bathrooms and updated hall of fame and trophy displays. The hallways also received new flooring and repainted details, topped off with a repaired roof, replaced lighting and air conditioning added inside the gym.
Dr. Parker says the Bultman Center is NW’s “most visible athletic facility.” He notes the importance of this project, saying, “The mission of the Northwestern College athletic department is to honor Christ through excellence. These facility upgrades will help us continue to be excellent.”
NW faculty are not the only ones excited about the renovations. Taylor VanderVelde, a senior on the women’s basketball team, notes her enthusiasm.
VanderVelde said, “Our team is thrilled about the new and improved Bultman Center. It already feels like a next-level facility, and we can’t wait to compete in it soon.”
The first women’s basketball game will be played on Friday, October 29, at 6:00 p.m., with a men’s game to follow.
The Raider volleyball team followed their first home victory in the Bultman Center against Dakota Wesleyan, with another triumph over Briar Cliff last Wednesday. They have five more home games in the regular season. Between volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball and wrestling, over fifty athletic events will be hosted in the Bultman Center in the 2021-2022 school year. The $2.25 million project will certainly deliver an improved experience for Raider teams and fans for years to come.
