{"id":636,"date":"2026-05-22T12:48:26","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T17:48:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/?p=636"},"modified":"2026-05-22T12:48:26","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T17:48:26","slug":"holland-hollow-is-next-level-for-owls-athletics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.muw.edu\/visions\/articles\/holland-hollow-is-next-level-for-owls-athletics\/","title":{"rendered":"Holland Hollow is \u2018Next Level\u2019 for OWLS Athletics"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Becky
Becky Smith, ’83, and Sandy Holland, ’86<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s a new and exciting venue that\u2019s been added to The W\u2019s intercollegiate athletics program. As you enter Hogarth Student Center\u2019s main lobby and ascend the steps, where the Athletics Department is located, and turn to the right at the top of the staircase, there you will find Holland Hollow Student-Athlete Center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holland Hollow takes The W Athletics to a different level, both literally and figuratively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the name implies, it is a space created with studentathletes in mind \u2014 a place for the Owls to \u201croost,\u201d if you will. It is the type of venue that very few NCAA Division III schools can say they have. With amenities conducive to a multitude of uses \u2014 from study tables to team meetings to recruiting and a place to lounge between classes \u2014 Holland Hollow provides it for the Owls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur goal in designing Holland Hollow was to be good stewards of the donation dollars and make certain the venue could meet many, many needs expressed by both students and staff,\u201d Director of Athletics Buddy Foster said. \u201cEven the d\u00e9cor was intentional.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Six<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Foster continued, \u201cWe believe that anything we can do that lets our student-athletes know that we are proud of them, stand behind them and support them is important. It is a room that is built for pride in the Blue.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two distinct halves to Holland Hollow Student- Athlete Center. The first side features theater-style seating for 50 people, complete with a stage, backdrop, projection capabilities and a sound system, which is ideal for meetings and bringing in large groups of recruits. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The other half of the room provides a more individualized atmosphere, with workstations, tables with chairs, couches and a TV lounge area, and even a kitchenette. All of the furniture is adorned with the Owls Athletics branding, as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHolland Hollow has been great so far because it\u2019s more than just a place for athletes to study,\u201d freshman volleyball player Layla Escobedo observed. \u201cAnd it\u2019s become an area that all the athletes go to socialize. It\u2019s built such a great atmosphere between all the teams at the school.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Nine<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The room pays homage to each of The W\u2019s 17 intercollegiate sports, with a framed jersey representation on the wall. Another wall is a reminder of the many accomplishments \u2014 both on the field and in the classroom \u2014 of Owls Athletics, including all-academic awards, all-conference honorees and community service hours amassed as a department, to name a few. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since its dedication, Holland Hollow has already played host to one of the most significant events in the life of W athletics. On Monday, March 2, 2026, the Owls men\u2019s basketball team \u2014 along with members of the campus community and local media \u2014 gathered together to witness the announcement of the University\u2019s first-ever berth in the NCAA Division III national championship tournament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBeing able to have a place to share that event was so special,\u201d Men\u2019s Basketball Coach Dean Burrows recalled. \u201cIn previous years, that would not have been possible. The team would have crammed into my office or gone into a classroom somewhere. But Holland Hollow made it possible to have our players not just have a comfortable environment to view the Selection Show, but see the genuine joy for them from others on campus on the official announcement, just by their physical presence with the players at the watch party.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there have been several recent upgrades and improvements for Owls Athletics, surely Holland Hollow is the most visible and large-scale to date. And it\u2019s those steps upward that have The W Athletics family excited for the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just ask fourth-year letterman and senior baseball standout, Matthew Windham. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI love seeing athletics continue to grow and add to the overall perception of the program,\u201d Windham, an all-academic athlete, reflected. \u201cHolland Hollow gives us all someplace we can call our own. And it gives our department another way by which we can distinguish ourselves. And it shows student-athletes that the University, and its alumni, have our back to help us be successful in all areas.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holland Hollow Student-Athlete Center didn\u2019t happen overnight. It was the result of two years of careful, intentional, meticulous planning. It all began when alumnae Sandy Holland, \u201986, watched a collegiate sports special on TV showcasing a premiere division one women\u2019s basketball facility. It raised one question, \u201cWhat\u2019s the possibility of an athletics room at The W?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alongside Becky Smith, \u201983, the two have been long supporters of the university and athletics. Having learned from her father, a longtime faculty member at another university, Smith has always believed in giving back to your university. The powerhouse pair have provided scholarships, windscreens, a storage shed and even a mower. They would simply ask, \u201cWhat do you need?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This time was different. Seeing athletics return to the university had reinvigorated school pride for Holland. They wanted something specific. Something bigger. Something better. Something next level. They wanted to meet students where they are \u2014 academically, socially and personally. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They began working with their financial advisors and university leaders to explore how they could give back in a meaningful, lasting way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEverybody wants to give a scholarship,\u201d Becky said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s important. But universities need so much more than that.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What emerged was the idea for Holland Hollow Student-Athlete Center \u2014 a shared athletic and student space designed to serve not just one team, but all studentathletes, especially commuter athletes looking for a place to rest, study or connect between classes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the most important part of the project wasn\u2019t the furniture or the technology. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t for me or about me,\u201d Holland said. \u201cIt was about what the students needed.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rather than dictating how the space should look, Holland and Smith worked closely with coaches, administrators and staff to let those who would use the space shape it. They attribute the realization of their dream to the hard work and attention to detail of Marla Fisher, director of development. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe just had the idea,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThey built it into what actually works for them.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Dean
Dean Burrows, assistant athletic director, Sandy Holland, ’86, Becky Smith, ’83, and Buddy Foster, athletic director<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When the paint was dry, the furniture in place and the ribbon cut, students filled the room. There was not an empty seat in Holland Hollow. All the Owls had come home to \u201croost.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two didn\u2019t expect much fanfare or reaction for the grand opening event. But they were pleasantly surprised. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI started crying when I saw the students in the room,\u201d Smith said. \u201cThey were all piled up on the couch, on their phones, just hanging out \u2014 that\u2019s exactly what we wanted.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bonus from the event: hugs from the baseball and soccer teams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI really believe it\u2019s going to help with recruiting,\u201d Holland said. \u201cIt shows students that The W cares about their full experience, not just what happens in the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Simply, they just want to provide the same welcoming experience they had while on campus: a personalized and welcoming environment. Smith was an art major with biology minor, and Holland was a former student-athlete and sports fitness major. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Smith recalls her first tour of campus, \u201cIt far surpassed anything I imagined. Everything was wonderful.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That same sense wonderment and care can now be found at Holland Hollow Student-Athlete Center. It is exactly what they want today\u2019s students to experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holland Hollow Student-Athlete Center represents more than just a new facility. It marks a defining moment for Owls Athletics. Foster emphasized the transformational investment, \u201cThis is the most significant donation to date since we have reintroduced athletics. Thanks to the generosity of Sandy Holland and Becky Smith, the new space will have a wide-ranging impact on our student-athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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