Dawn Chaney's $10 million gift anchors $30 million sports build at TWU

Texas Woman's University will begin construction in the spring of 2027 on a new 35,000-square-foot facility designed to house its expanding athletic department. The project, located adjacent to the Pioneer Soccer Park, requires a $30 million total investment that relies entirely on private donations because state funds are barred from athletics programs.

The Chaney Athletics Complex is named for Dawn S. Chaney, a former three-sport student-athlete who holds three degrees in kinesiology from the university. Chaney provided the initial $10 million in funding earlier this year. Total donations have now reached $20.5 million, representing more than two-thirds of the required amount.

The building will contain a practice gym, weight room, sports medicine clinic, batting cages, locker rooms, and administrative offices. Construction is scheduled to conclude by the end of 2028. Chancellor Carine Feyton noted that the lack of a dedicated student-athletics fee makes donor contributions essential for supporting current student-athletes.

The need for the facility stems from rapid growth in Pioneer Athletics. Over the past six years, the university has increased its varsity offerings from five to nine sports and more than doubled its student-athlete population. This expansion has created a space shortage that the new complex aims to resolve.

Sandee Mott, the executive director of athletics, stated that the project aims to provide coaches with better resources and attract prospective athletes. She emphasized that the goal extends beyond fixing immediate spatial constraints. "We are not building this complex simply to solve today’s space problems, we are building it because we believe in where TWU Athletics is going," Mott said.

Chaney, who supported the project with her initial gift, described the effort as a way to assist future generations. "When we give back, we help the millions and millions who will come after us," Chaney said.