The new Dunn floor redesign will bring a boldness to university athletics, according to APSU Director of Athletics Gerald Harrison.
The new design integrates some of APUS’s signature colors: red, white, grey and black.
There is also an updated Gov logo imposed inside a red state of Tennessee outline.
This new, more contemporary redesign is the first since 2012, before which the Dunn Center still retained its original floors.
“We’ve got all of our color schemes involved and there’s a boldness. Bold lines and strong fonts and there’s nothing weak about it,” Harrison said.
“One of our major initiatives is to bring a boldness to our athletics department and a big sense of pride to our university. I feel the new redesign does that. The older design was kind of, let’s just say, antiquated.”
The court also prominently displays the title of Dave Loos Court, with the former head coach’s signature facing the student section.
“Dave Loos is obviously a huge part of the Austin Peay community. He was an athletic director here for a long time.
He was a basketball coach here who put banners in the rafters, who did great things,” stated Harrison.
“So, to recognize him for his service to the university and service to the Austin Peay Athletics Department, I think naming the court after him is probably the right thing to do.”
APSU’s official Twitter account handle (@LetsGoPeay) is also clearly displayed on the court just over the out-of-bounds line by each bench, and highly visible during broadcasts.
“Social media is a huge part of [college athletics], of anything right now, but specifically college athletics. For a school like us with a limited budget for athletics, this is the best way we can advertise our brand and get our brand out,” Harrison said. “As for @LetsGoPeay, we hope it will draw more attention to our page, because that’s where we like to release our own news.”
Harrison emphasized the importance of APSU athletics telling their own story by releasing their own news through social media instead of relying on local news as they might have in the past.
“Nowadays local news is covered by the Leaf Chronicle, is run by the Tennessean, is run by Ganett, and so, the personal attention is hard to get like it used to be. There used to be a beat writer that wrote everyday about Austin Peay athletics,” Harrion said.
“We don’t have that now. So, we have to be our own beat writer. How are we going to reach our following? Through our website and our Twitter feed.”
The new ESPN plus platform also ensures that the new court redesign will be seen numerous times at any home game, promoting APSU athletics visibility.
“Anybody in America, anybody in the world really, could have a chance to log onto ESPN plus and see that court. When Terry Taylor makes a dunk on that court and he gets on the Sports Center highlights, they’re going to see that bold, innovative, strong design that represents everything that this university stands for,” Harrison said.
The court redesign, Harrison speculates, is not just going to make a positive impact on how APSU is seen, but also on how the APSU community and the APSU athletics community sees themselves.
“When you do something new it energizes people. For our student athletes that court represents new energy. Whether it’s volleyball or men’s or women’s basketball,” Harrison said.
“The players love it. The student athletes love it. So, I can’t wait until the whole Austin Peay community gets to see it live.”
