In August 2010, the Air Force Academy announced that it would begin construction on an indoor practice facility, becoming the next-to-last team in the Mountain West Conference and the final service academy to have one. Frank Schwab of the Colorado Springs Gazette reports on the progress of the facility:
With summer still a few weeks away, the building has quickly sprouted up next to the Cadet Field House. There are still some glass and polycarbonate sections to be put in place, and the field needs to be laid down, which is the most time-consuming part of the project that remains. But construction is going as well as could be expected.
The facility will open on July 22, just a few weeks before fall training camp begins. The building will be called the Holaday Athletic Center, Bart and Lynn Holaday having donated $5 million to help the construction stay on schedule. But Lynn Holaday, as Schwab reports, will not be able to see the opening ceremony as she died of Lou Gehrig's Disease in October.
With the Falcons considered a "dark horse" candidate for the Mountain West title in 2011, a strong season and the new training facility should be able to help Air Force improve its recruitment.
For more on Air Force, visit the Mountain West Connection.