GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Following a lead gift, the University of North Dakota has unveiled the J.J. Safranski Northwestern Mutual Team Room inside the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center on Tuesday morning.

The J.J. Safranski Northwestern Mutual Team Room design and build out was completed over the last three months by K.J. Branding, Custom Stripes, UND Facilities and the department's in-house graphic designer Amy Chandler.

"We are extremely excited to unveil this new team space for both basketball programs and women's volleyball," said Athletic Director Bill Chaves. "The generosity of J.J. Safranski and Northwestern Mutual, along with Pete and Eunice Kuhn and Border States Electric made the vision a reality. I have no doubts that this space will be an amazing addition for all three programs."

Before becoming the J.J. Safranski Northwestern Mutual Team Room, the room was a place where volleyball and basketball teams would congregate before games, ate their pregame meals and took part in post-game press conferences. The area will see more traffic this fall and winter, now serving as a multi-purpose team room with an emphasis on team video for the volleyball and basketball programs at UND.

"We couldn't be more grateful and excited for this wonderful gift and upgrade to our facilities here in the Betty," said UND volleyball head coach Jesse Tupac. "The new J.J. Safranski Northwestern Mutual Team Room is an amazing and beautiful space that will enhance our student-athletes already world class collegiate experience. We can't wait to dive in, watch some film and utilize the space to continue to find the 1% advantages that will gives us the edge in competition. Thank you to everyone that made this possible. Go Hawks!"

"The Safranski Team Room is a game changer for all three sports at the Betty," UND men's basketball head coach Paul Sather said. "The space, seating and technology available to meet with our team, watch film, teach, and prepare for our opponents will make a huge difference. We appreciate and thank everyone that helped make the construction and design possible."

"The J.J. Safranski Northwestern Team Room is a great space that will be hugely beneficial for our team as a meeting and film space," said women's basketball head coach Mallory Bernhard. "As we work to continue to see improvements in our program, we know a space like this will really help from a film study and prep standpoint. This room certainly provides a wow-factor to our recruits as well and we can't wait to use it and show it off! Thank you to everyone who made this possible!"

There will be an official opening of the J.J. Safranski Northwestern Mutual Team Room on Thursday, July 28 at 5 p.m. to honor the donors that made the design and build out possible.