Nov. 18, 2009

Pocatello, ID --- There is no doubt that Jared Allen loves Idaho State, from his visits back to campus to say hi to old friends, to present an award at the spring game, to coming back and having his jersey retired along with earning Hall of Fame and Ring of Honor status. Allen cemented his feelings on his old school in a big way, as Idaho State athletic director Jeff Tingey has announced a nearly $200,000 contribution from Allen to renovate the weight room. The newly remodeled facility will be named The Jared Allen Strength and Conditioning Center at the Idaho Orthopaedic and Sports Clinic.

Allen's contribution will include the replacement of all of the current strength and conditioning equipment, all-new rubber flooring, and a new paint job as well. Allen's framed and retired jersey will hang in the Allen Center.

While Allen has contributed in the past, most notably with the purchase of ISU's new football uniforms and the ISU football locker room renovation, this gives back not just to football, but to all programs at ISU. Idaho State has 15 varsity sports that compete in the Big Sky Conference or the Pacific Coast Softball Conference.

"The weight room at Idaho Orthopaedic has always been a good facility for our athletes to train. When I was in Pocatello last spring I started talking to Donna Hays about a project for the athletic department," said Allen, who had his number retired on November 7, the day he was inducted into the ISU Sports Hall of Fame and the Ring of Honor. "I thought it would be awesome to update the weight room. I spend a lot of time working out and know how important it is for our athletes to have the best equipment available. Donna and I have been working out all of the details for the upgrade and I'm excited that we can announce that the plans are finalized and we are moving forward."

Mark Campbell, ISU's strength and conditioning coach, feels that having not only a revamped weight room will be a source of pride for ISU's athletes, but having some of the newest and best equipment will benefit everyone as well.

"Because of the great generosity that Jared Allen has shown, we will be able to take our strength and conditioning program to another level. The quality and variety of the equipment we will be getting will allow all the athletes of all sports to benefit and improve their athletic performance," said Campbell.

"It is a real pleasure to see students and alumni succeed in their life pursuits, and Jared has done very well," said Arthur C. Vailas, president of Idaho State University. "It is many times more rewarding when our friends and alumni wish to give back and make a difference for those who follow them. We are incredibly grateful to Jared and thank him for his generosity."

"The weight room at Idaho Orthopaedic has always been a good facility for our athletes to train. When I was in Pocatello last spring I started talking to Donna Hays about a project for the athletic department. I thought it would be awesome to update the weight room. I spend a lot of time working out and know how important it is for our athletes to have the best equipment available. Donna and I have been working out all of the details for the upgrade and I'm excited that we can announce that the plans are finalized and we are moving forward." ---Jared Allen

Director of Athletics Jeff Tingey, who has overseen several large fundraising projects in his short tenure, understands the importance of this gift in the overall concept of Bengal Village.

"We are so grateful to Jared for investing in his alma mater," said Tingey. "Philanthropic efforts such as this are imperative to the success and continued development of the athletic department and our student-athletes. This renovation of the weight room completes another step in the Bengal Village plan and aids us towards the completion of many more steps."

Allen finalized the agreement to donate for the weight room when he came to Pocatello for his induction ceremonies the first weekend in November. All of the previous equipment will be given to Gym Outfitters in Boise for credit which will be used for future equipment for the Jared Allen Strength and Conditioning Center. As a player at Idaho State, Allen was twice named All-America, including consensus first team honors in 2003, a year in which he broke the Idaho State single season and career sack records, leading the nation in sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles. All was honored at the end of his senior season by being named the 2003 winner of the Buck Buchanan Award from the Sports Network as the I-AA Defensive Player of the Year. He has since gone on to star in the National Football League, first with the Kansas City Chiefs, and for the last two years with the Minnesota Vikings.

The donation is the second-largest ever received by ISU athletics, behind only the donation of land valued at over $1 million in Driggs, Idaho by Sylvia Papenberg and her late husband Don which will go toward Miller Ranch Stadium (softball) and Papenfield Field, ISU's outdoor practice field. The contribution does top the $150,000 donation for ISU's new video board by the Idaho Potato Commission. The renovation of the "Jared Allen Strength & Conditioning Center" will begin in mid December, and it will be in full working order for the student-athlete's spring semester of competition. The project is set to be completed on Sunday, January 10, 2010.