LUBBOCK, Texas – Texas Tech Athletics announced Friday a $20 million gift from Board of Regents member Dustin R. Womble to fund construction of a new football training facility. It marks the largest one-time gift to the athletics department in its history.

The lead gift will help Texas Tech continue to reshape its athletics facilities with the help of Womble, who already provided more than $10 million to fund a state-of-the-art basketball practice facility in his name, the Dustin R. Womble Basketball Center that opened this past May across from United Supermarkets Arena.

To date, Womble has gifted his alma mater with more than $30 million as part of The Campaign for Fearless Champions, placing him historically among one of Texas Tech University’s largest individual donors and the largest athletics donor. He joins the ranks of other generous supporters such as Jim Sowell, Ed Whitacre and Jerry Rawls.

“We are so thankful for the continued support and loyalty from the Womble family,” Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said. “Football is the lifeblood of our department, and we are going to continue to invest in our success and the success of our student-athletes. This project will immediately boost our football facilities and set the standard for what other universities can aspire to have.”

Once completed, Texas Tech will boast one of the largest investments into its football program in history as construction of the Womble Football Center is expected to be a $40-50 million project. The two-story complex will remain in its same location adjacent to both Jones AT&T Stadium and the Sports Performance Center, which has earned rave reviews since its unveiling in 2017 as one of the premier indoor football facilities in the country.

“Kirby’s vision for Texas Tech Athletics and our football program matches that of my own – we simply want to be the best,” Womble said. “This project will drastically impact the future of Red Raider Football, providing our coaching staff the best resources to not only recruit potential student-athletes, but to most importantly, train and develop the current members of our program. My family and I are proud to invest in this project and continue the vision that Kirby and his team have developed for our athletics program.”

As part of the project, Texas Tech will more than double its physical space in the Womble Football Center, which is slated to begin construction in early 2022 in anticipation of opening prior to the 2023 season. The state-of-the-art complex will house a nearly 14,000-square foot weight room and a 7,000-square foot locker room as well as coaches offices, position rooms, a players’ lounge and space for nutrition, athletic training and recruiting.

“I speak for everyone associated with our program in thanking Dusty Womble and his family for such a generous gift,” head coach Matt Wells said. “Bottom line, this facility will be a game-changer for Texas Tech Football and our future. The investments that have been made into this program through the Sports Performance Center and now the new Womble Football Center will further develop our current student-athletes as well as greatly impact our ability to attract top prospects.”

The Womble Football Center is the second project in Texas Tech’s three-part master plan for its football program, which also includes future renovations to the south end zone of Jones AT&T Stadium. The projects are among the final items for The Campaign for Fearless Champions, which has transformed Texas Tech’s facilities since its inception.

Overall, the campaign has funded 25 athletic facility projects to date and has invested more than $200 million into the athletics department, including critical student-athlete resources such as scholarship endowments, nutrition and the J.T. and Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy.