July 23, 2025
Provided Image/EwingCole Architects
Penn plans to renovate Weightman Hall into a state-of-the-art facility for its wrestling program. Above, renderings of what will be known as the Pottruck-Reina Wrestling Center.
The University of Pennsylvania kickstarted a fundraising campaign to transform its Weightman Hall gymnasium into a state-of-the-art wrestling facility by 2028 with a major donation Tuesday.
A $20 million gift from Dave Pottruck, a former Penn trustee and wrestler, will help fund the $25 million renovation project at Weightman Hall, a multipurpose building constructed in 1905 at the west end of Franklin Field. Once complete, the wresting program will move into a 13,000-square-foot facility that includes a new locker room, mat room, team lounge and cardio and weight training areas.
Weightman Hall originally was used as a field house for Penn's athletic teams. It once hosted boxing and gymnastics events, and also housed Penn basketball until The Palestra was finished in 1927. It also hosted the first collegiate wrestling tournament. The building's gym currently serves as a practice facility for various sports teams, and has athletic administration offices.
Penn expects to have the facility's design and construction documents in place by December 2026. Construction is projected to conclude in February 2028, with the team moving in the next month.
The renovated gymnasium will be named the Pottruck-Reina Wrestling Center in honor of Pottruck, a former member of the Penn Athletics Board of Advisors, wrestler and football player, and Roger Reina, head coach emeritus of the school's wrestling team.
Penn's fundraising campaign seeks to raise $34 million to bolster the wrestling program. Most of that will cover the gym renovations, but $9 million will go toward boosting the program's endowment. Penn seeks to have at least 50% of the program's operating expenses funded by the endowment. Additionally, Penn is seeking to boost recurring pledges to a fund dedicated to covering recruiting, travel, nutritional needs, uniforms and equipment.
Pottruck's $20 million donation includes $1 million toward the endowment and $4 million to be used as a fundraising matching challenge.
"This facility and overall fundraising mission will move Penn Wrestling into a very small circle of the nation's most elite programs," Penn Athletics Wrestling Board co-chair Stephen Brody said in a statement. "The renovated facility will drastically improve the wrestling program's physical footprint while providing the resources needed to develop wrestling student-athletes and compete for Ivy League and national recognition."
