NE North Dakota News

The University of North Dakota (UND) marked the official opening of the Nodak Insurance Company Sports Performance Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by hundreds on Friday. The new facility, attached to the Frederick “Fritz” D. Pollard Athletic Center, is now open for use.

UND President Andrew Armacost addressed attendees, highlighting the significance of the project within what he called “The Year of Community” for 2025-26. “You now look at the aerial views and you see the ground views of what this whole complex looks like, and at the center of it is this project today to be celebrated,” Armacost said. “This year, the Year of Community, this is where we come together. Look around at all the people who came here as a community to celebrate this important space. Thank you to all who made this happen.”

Other speakers included UND Director of Athletics Bill Chaves and Eric Aasmundstad, Chairman of the Board for Nodak Insurance Company. Mike Mannausau, Vice President of Development for the UND Alumni Association, opened and closed the event.

“This vision is a shared with many other alumni and friends as well, who poured their hearts and resources into making this project the reality that we’re sitting in today,” Mannausau said. “Their contributions signify more than just financial support; they symbolize a belief in the transformational power of education and athletics.”

The new center provides updated team locker rooms for football, softball, men’s and women’s cross country/track & field teams. It also includes an advanced weight room—now considered the largest in North Dakota—and a sports medicine area. An indoor walkway connects it to Hyslop at Memorial Village.

“Simply stated, the Nodak Insurance Company Sports Performance Center is a game changer for UND Athletics,” Chaves said. “All of our 375 student-athletes will benefit in some way, shape or form with this facility. So many people have my thanks. It took a village, it took everyone, it took the community.”

During Friday’s event inside the weight room area, guests were offered refreshments similar to those provided to student-athletes as part of their nutrition program and participated in guided tours showcasing building amenities.

“It’s beautiful,” Aasmundstad said. “We’re truly as a company blessed to be part of this. This facility is North Dakota, the best of the best, and it’s just a resounding theme throughout our state.”

Mannausau concluded by referencing UND’s fundraising history on these grounds: “We do. We lead. We are Forever UND.”