Courtesy: Tennessee State Athletics
NASHVILLE — Houston Rockets forward Rob Covington is paying it forward to his alma mater Tennessee State University and announced on he would fund a project on the campus.
The 2013 TSU graduate says the University played a major role in his personal and professional development, and now he will play a pivotal role in helping to develop its future basketball program at the “Covington Pavilion”. His gift is the largest of this magnitude to an HBCU by a former athlete that was a product of its program.
“I want to thank the city of Nashville for embracing me, Coach Brian “Penny” Collins, Dr. Mikki Allen, President Glover and the University for giving me the opportunity to do something special like this,” Covington said.
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“I love my alma mater, I’m not donating a new practice facility for the recognition or because I NEED to — I am doing it because I truly WANT to. I know what the school didn’t have when I was here as a student and I want future generations of kids to have the best resources available to them, to build their futures both on and off the court. I want them to step on this campus and feel like their dreams can come true here, because mine really did.”
Covington will fund the project, with construction slated to begin late spring in 2021. The facility will have two practice courts, locker rooms and offices for the men’s and women’s basketball programs.
A commitment to athletics
“We are extremely proud of Mr. Robert Covington’s success and are grateful for his contributions to the University,” said TSU President Glenda Glover. “Most importantly, his success on and off the court speaks volumes about the caliber of students TSU and other HBCUs produce. We thank him, his family and the Allergic To Failure Foundation for this generous gift.”
TSU Director of Athletics Dr. Mikki Allen said the new facility will have an impact on the entire athletics program at the institution, but also speaks to Covington’s commitment to TSU.
Rob and I have a shared vision for TSU Basketball becoming a nationally recognized program,” said AD Allen. “The fact that Rob has decided to make an investment of this magnitude accelerates this process and helps bring us closer to this vision becoming a reality.”
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“As the Director of Athletics, I’m extremely gracious and thankful for Rob becoming a stakeholder in helping to change the national trajectory of our basketball programs. The narrative is shifting in the landscape of college basketball recruiting in respect to HBCUs landing 5 star talent. Through this historic gift, the Covington Pavilion will now undoubtedly put Tennessee State University in the mix.”