TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The University of Alabama’s commitment to athletic excellence will soon have a new name attached to it, one synonymous with grit, leadership, and championships. The university announced Thursday that Mark Ingram II, the program’s first-ever Heisman Trophy winner, has made a historic donation to purchase the naming rights for the new state-of-the-art strength and conditioning center.
The facility will now be officially known as “The Deuce Performance Center,” a nod to the iconic No. 2 jersey Ingram wore during his storied career at Alabama and his subsequent “Deuce” nickname in the NFL.
The multi-million-dollar gift from Ingram represents one of the most significant contributions by a former player in the university’s history. It ensures that the facility, which will be among the largest and most technologically advanced in the nation, will be forever linked to a player who embodied the relentless work ethic it is designed to foster.
Ingram, who led the Crimson Tide to a national championship in 2009 en route to winning the Heisman, said the donation was a way to invest in the future of the program that gave him his start.
“Everything I have in my professional life is because of the lessons I learned and the opportunities I was given at the University of Alabama,” Ingram said in a statement. “The standard is set in the weight room. It’s where you build the foundation for championships. To have my name on the place where that hard work happens is the ultimate honor. This is for the players, for the program, and for the entire Tide family.”
“The Deuce Performance Center” will serve as the primary training hub for the football program, featuring elite equipment, advanced sports science technology for monitoring player performance and recovery, and dedicated areas for nutrition and rehabilitation.
Athletic Director Greg Byrne praised Ingram’s generosity and his continued connection to the university. “Mark Ingram is a champion in every sense of the word,” Byrne said. “He was a leader on a transformative team, and he has continued to be a remarkable ambassador for this university in his professional career.
This gift ensures that his legacy of hard work and dedication will inspire Alabama athletes for generations to come. ‘The Deuce Performance Center’ will be second to none.”
Head Coach Kalen DeBoer added that the impact of having a facility named after a beloved former player is immeasurable.
“When our players walk into ‘The Deuce Performance Center,’ they won’t just see weights and racks; they’ll see the name of a man who sat in their same locker room and achieved every goal imaginable,” DeBoer said. “It’s a powerful, daily reminder of what is possible when you commit to the process. We are incredibly grateful for Mark’s leadership and his monumental contribution.”
Construction is nearing completion, with the center expected to be fully operational for the team by the start of the upcoming season, a fitting tribute to a player who helped build the modern Alabama dynasty.
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