CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Earlier this month, Harvard Athletics was finally able to welcome alumni and friends back to the Malkin Athletic Center to celebrate the renovated wrestling facility following the project's completion during the pandemic in January 2022.

For Jay Weiss, The David G. Bunning '88 Head Coach for Harvard Wrestling, the project – which included major updates to the program's wrestling room, strength and conditioning space, locker room, and coaches' offices – was worth the wait despite the challenges of the pandemic on the project's timeline.

"I can't say enough about our facility renovation," Weiss said. "Yes, it was a long time coming,but it has already made a world of difference for our training and our recruiting. Special credit goes out to Dave Bunning '88, Bob Scalise and Erin McDermott for their leadership and persistence in seeing this project through."

Highlights from the renovation include an expanded locker room with a team lounge, new weight and training equipment, additional square footage to the wrestling room alongside state-of-the-art video training technology, updated athletic training space including a hydrotherapy tub, and a new office suite for the program's coaching staff.

Guests were treated to a comprehensive facility tour with Weiss plus the chance to mix and mingle with current members of the wrestling team and coaching staff. Then they walked across the yard to the Queen's Head Pub to enjoy food and refreshments.

"We remain extremely fortunate to have a dedicated group of alumni who believe in the impact that Harvard Wrestling makes on the lives of our wrestlers," Weiss said. "From the bottom of my heart, thank you all for supporting this initiative and for staying with us. With your help our wrestlers will continue to graduate from Harvard and go off to do bigger things in life!"