The facility’s name honors Hall of Fame basketball coach Tom Izzo and his wife Lupe, who donated $5 million toward construction. In remarks at the ribbon-cutting, Tom Izzo said the center “reflects the Spartans’ commitment to community health every bit as much as our commitment to championships.” Half of the Izzo gift is earmarked for imaging-based clinical research, meaning Spartan student-athletes may someday undergo concussion MRI protocols developed in the very building that bears their coach’s name.

Izzo Legacy Center Opens: A New Era for Spartan Health, Research, and Athletic Excellence

EAST LANSING, Mich. — With a spirited crowd, university dignitaries, and community members in attendance, Michigan State University celebrated the grand opening of the Tom and Lupe Izzo Health & Performance Center on Monday, a landmark moment not just for Spartan athletics but for the broader Mid-Michigan community.

The cutting-edge, 75,000-square-foot facility is named in honor of legendary Michigan State men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo and his wife Lupe, who contributed $5 million toward its development. Their generous donation, one of the largest personal gifts in MSU athletics history, is both a testament to their deep roots in the community and their forward-thinking vision for the role of science in sports.

“This building represents more than bricks and mortar,” said Tom Izzo during the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “It reflects the Spartans’ commitment to community health every bit as much as our commitment to championships.”

The center merges state-of-the-art sports medicine, imaging-based clinical research, and community outreach under one roof. Half of the Izzos’ donation is earmarked for advancing imaging research, specifically related to sports concussions and neurological injury detection. MSU officials confirmed that protocols for detecting and managing concussions in student-athletes—such as advanced MRI diagnostics—are already under development within the facility.

“What we’re doing here has the potential to change lives,” said Dr. Anika Rourke, Director of Neuroimaging Research. “This isn’t just about recovering from injury. It’s about revolutionizing how we understand brain health in athletes of all ages.”

Alongside the research wing, the facility houses high-tech rehab equipment, hydrotherapy pools, and integrated wellness services that will serve MSU student-athletes, local schools, and underserved populations across the Lansing area. A community health outreach program, also funded through the Izzos’ donation, is set to launch this fall.

University President Kevin Guskiewicz called the center a “beacon of progress,” adding, “Tom and Lupe Izzo have once again proven that leadership isn’t just about wins—it’s about impact.”

The Tom and Lupe Izzo Health & Performance Center opens a bold new chapter in Spartan history—one where athletic excellence and public good walk hand in hand.