Purdue to dedicate renovated facility for volleyball

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Belin Court, the new playing floor designed specifically for volleyball, replaced the original court that had been in place since 1982. After $750,000 in renovations, the athletic facility features a new shock-absorbing floor; new bleachers, including a number of seat-back chairs, increasing the seating capacity 600 seats to 2,288; new scoreboards; banners; and other aesthetic changes.

The new playing surface is named for the family of Ron and Kay Belin of Valparaiso, Ind., who gave the lead gift toward the renovations. Ron Belin is executive vice president and chief operating officer of Chinook Wireless, a cell phone company that provides service in Wyoming and Montana. He previously served in executive positions at Bellsouth Telephone Corp., Mary Kay Cosmetics and Johnson & Johnson Inc. Kay Belin is a homemaker who previously worked as an elementary school teacher.

Belin court
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"The Intercollegiate Athletic Facility has been transformed into a tremendous competition venue," athletics director Morgan J. Burke said. "Care was taken to ensure a state-of-the-art playing surface was installed. By enlarging the facility, we will allow larger numbers of fans to witness our nationally ranked volleyball and wrestling teams. The renovation also injects a 'Purdue presence' upon entering the building. The Belins have really made a difference, and we appreciate their leadership, as well as the support of all of the other individuals who have donated to the project."

The look and design of Belin Court and the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility offer not only an improved visual image for fans, but also advantages for the current team and the future of Boilermaker volleyball, said head coach Dave Shondell.

"The new Belin Court floor is designed specifically to prevent the injuries associated with the constant pounding the body receives in volleyball," Shondell said. "We also have the capacity to set up nets for six courts, which benefits our volleyball camps.

"The new bleachers give the facility a new look that is quite impressive and also offer additional seats for our increasing fan base. The two-toned grain on the maple floor, along with new scoreboards and banners, offer a first-class look and make Belin Court and the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility a fan-friendly venue to watch volleyball. There is no question that the renovation will help our program in recruiting.

"Clearly, Belin Court is a perfect floor for volleyball, and now we have an elite facility in the college game."

Although Ron and Kay Belin call the University of Miami (Fla.) their alma mater, the two became part of the Purdue Boilermaker family when their children, Rick and Amy, enrolled at Purdue. Rick was an industrial engineering student, and Amy was a student in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management.

The Belins said they found that Purdue was a university with high standards for every student, including the student-athletes, which impressed them. They said they appreciated the university's traditions and history, and it was easy for them to feel like part of the Purdue family.

The Belins' growing affinity for Purdue prompted the first of the family's donations to both the university and the Department of Intercollegiate Athletics. The family decided to endow a scholarship for athletics and chose to earmark it for volleyball, a sport both their children played during their high school years in Dallas. An endowed scholarship for a student in the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management followed soon after.

Ron Belin said he and his family feel fortunate to be able to be a part of the future of Purdue athletics.

"We have enjoyed following the progress of Purdue volleyball in recent years," he said. "After contributing our endowed scholarship, we wanted to help with a renovation of the volleyball facility, including replacing the playing floor, which had been so hard physically on the women. We talked with Morgan Burke, (senior associate athletics director) Nancy Cross and Dave Shondell about their vision. We were very impressed and decided to support the project."

Rick Belin is now in his second year of the Krannert School of Management MBA program after graduating in 2002 with a degree in industrial engineering. Amy Belin graduated in 2003 with a degree in hospitality and tourism management. Both met their spouses while at Purdue.

The Boilermaker volleyball team began playing on Belin Court during preseason workouts in August.

Writer: Wendy A. Mayer, assistant sports information director, (765) 494-3919, wbroker@purdue.edu

Sources: Morgan J. Burke, (765) 494-3189, mjb@purdue.edu

Dave Shondell, (765) 494-3206, dshondell@purdue.edu

Ron Belin, ronbegolf@aol.com

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

PHOTO CAPTION:
Belin Court, the new playing floor designed specifically for volleyball inside Purdue's Intercollegiate Athletic Facility, will be dedicated on Oct. 21. The court is named for the Belin family, who provided the lead gift for the renovations. Family members, front from left, include daughter-in-law Carla Belin, dog Packer Boiler Belin, Kay Belin, grandson Carson Hamilton, daughter Amy Hamilton; back from left, Rick Belin, Ron Belin and son-in-law Jason Hamilton. (Photo provided)

A publication-quality photo is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2006/belin-volleyball.jpg

PHOTO CAPTION:
The Purdue women's volleyball team battles Ohio State University on Belin Court. The new court, in the recently renovated Intercollegiate Athletic Facility, will be dedicated on Oct. 21 prior to the team's match against Northwestern University. The new playing surface is named for the family of Ron and Kay Belin of Valparaiso, Ind., who gave the lead gift toward the renovations. (Photo courtesy/Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics)

A publication-quality photo of Belin Court is available at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/images/+2006/belin-volleyball2.jpg

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