By Alan LaFave, VCSU President

Greetings from Valley City State University!

We are proud to celebrate the official groundbreaking ceremony for the highly anticipated Tharaldson Family Athletic Center, scheduled for Thursday, June 12, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. on the south side of “The Bubble” on the VCSU campus. This state-of-the-art facility represents a significant milestone in the university’s commitment to enhancing student-athlete development, academic-athletic balance, community engagement, and the overall student-athlete experience.

It starts with a vision

The groundbreaking event marks the culmination of years of planning and fundraising, underscoring our university’s dedication to providing first-rate athletic and competition opportunities. Once completed, the facility will serve as a multi-use indoor practice space for VCSU’s athletic teams, including football, baseball, softball, and track and field.

This facility is not just an investment in athletics—it’s an investment in the future of our campus, student success, and the broader Valley City community. We are thrilled to break ground on a project that will transform how our athletes train and how our community gathers.

Thank you to our donors

Funded with private donations, this project would not be possible without the extraordinary generosity of alumni, supporters, local businesses, and community leaders. We are extremely grateful for the support of all our friends and donors whose vision, encouragement, and donations have helped turn this dream into a reality.

We especially thank the Gary Tharaldson family for their lead gift of $5 million helping solidify the campaign and inspire others to contribute. VCSU is also grateful to the VCSU Foundation, Foundation Board, capital campaign committee, members of the athletic building committee, and Friends of Viking Athletics for their leadership in fundraising efforts.

About the facility

The Tharaldson Family Athletic Center is designed to provide a year-round training space, protected from North Dakota’s harsh winter conditions. All our teams will benefit from regular practice and training sessions in a climate-controlled environment. The weight room will be relocated to the northwest corner of the new facility, providing a more spacious and safer environment for our athletes year-round training activities. Additionally, the facility is large enough to host indoor softball games, which will be advantageous for the beginning of their spring season.

We are confident that this new facility will play a vital role in attracting prospective student-athletes, maintaining a competitive athletic program, and providing a top-notch student-athlete experience for future generations of Viking athletes.

Join the celebration

All students, alumni, community members, and supporters are invited to attend the groundbreaking ceremony. The event will include remarks from university leadership, donors, and coaches, followed by light refreshments and an opportunity to view architectural renderings of the new facility.

Visit our website for more information or to support the project.

This groundbreaking represents more than the start of construction—it is a bold step into the future for VCSU athletics, academics, and the broader community.

Go Vikings!

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