PORTLAND, Ore. – The University of Portland is proud to unveil the new Tom and Meg Names Family Foundation Beach Volleyball Courts, which opened last week in time for the 2024 Portland Pilots Beach Volleyball season. The courts are located on UP's scenic Franz Campus alongside the Willamette River.

"The completion of these courts is another big step forward in the development of the Franz Campus," University of Portland Vice President for Athletics Scott Leykam said. "Thanks to the continued generosity of the Tom and Meg Names Family Foundation, this facility will be a game changer for our beach volleyball student-athletes and the UP campus."

The new facility features two courts for the Pilots to use for both practice and matches, allowing UP Athletics to host on-campus beach volleyball matches for the first time in program history. The courts were made possible thanks to a gift from the Tom and Meg Names Family Foundation.

"We're thrilled to open the Tom and Meg Names Family Foundation Beach Volleyball Courts on our Franz River Campus," University President Robert D. Kelly said. "With beautiful views of the Willamette River, Forest Park, and iconic St. Johns Bridge, this new facility will greatly enhance the practice and competition experience for our beach volleyball student-athletes. I join all Pilots in thanking the Tom and Meg Names Foundation for generously supporting this project."

The Pilots practiced for the first time on the new courts on Thursday, February 8. The first home match is currently scheduled for Friday, April 19 at 12 p.m. against the University of Oregon.

"I'd like to start by thanking our fantastic administration and operations staff for making this facility possible," Portland lead beach volleyball coach Dylan Hamilton said. "These courts have been a dream of ours for years, and without their hard work we wouldn't be where we are today. I would also like to emphasize what a huge step forward this is for the future of our beach program, and the massive impact it will immediately have on our current beach athletes. We're excited to
host our first official home events this season."

"I'm excited for what this new beach facility means for our beach program and the improvement of our student-athlete experience," Portland women's volleyball head coach Megan Burton said. "This facility is the culmination of years of planning, fundraising and hard work. We would not be here today without the sacrifices of so many; current & past players, coaches, support staff, you name it. So many people have been a part of this process. I'm also very proud of our beach coach, Dylan Hamilton, for being such an integral part in the building of the beach program from the beginning.
 
"Thank you to Scott Leykam, Karen Peters, Dr. Kelly, Dan Seabeck and many others in our administration for finding ways to make this happen. This on campus facility directly impacts our ability to train and compete and improves our student athlete experience tenfold. Our beach team & staff really deserve this and I'm excited that they're able to experience this moment in their career at UP."
 
The transformational gift is a part of the continued evolution of the University's 35-acre Franz Campus located along the Willamette River. In 2018, UP began the development of several projects, beginning with the opening of two fields supported by the Tom & Meg Names Family Foundation --- a natural grass field that serves as the practice pitch for the Pilots' men's and women's soccer programs and an artificial turf field for club and intramural sports use. Since 2018, the Franz Campus has seen the addition of the Water E. Nelson Facilities Services Building, the Pilot Boathouse & E.L. Weigand Environmental Lab, Corrado Family Dock and Kuffner Cove. The next project scheduled for construction is the Patrick E. Becker, Sr. Track & Field Complex.
 
See above for select photos from the first practice for the Pilots.
 
ABOUT UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND
University of Portland is an independently governed Catholic university guided by the Congregation of Holy Cross; with a mission focusing on teaching and learning, faith and formation, and service and leadership. It is the only school in Oregon to offer a College of Arts & Sciences, a graduate school, and nationally accredited programs in the schools of business, education, engineering and nursing.  University of Portland is consistently a top-ranked school among colleges and universities in the American West. University of Portland Athletics is a member of the West Coast Conference and competes at the NCAA Division I level in the following varsity sports: baseball (M), basketball (MW), cross country (MW), rowing (W), soccer (MW), tennis (MW), indoor and outdoor track and field (MW), and indoor and beach volleyball (W). For more information, visit up.edu or PortlandPilots.com.

THE TOM AND MEG NAMES FAMILY FOUNDATION was established in 2015 in honor of Tom and Anna "Meg" Names. The foundation is dedicated to work in collaboration with various health, wellness, and athletic nonprofit organizations to make a brighter future for the youth of the Puget Sound region. Tom Names passed away at age 80 in February 2015, and Meg, at age 81, in February 2016.