May 23, 2011

GREENVILLE, N.C. --- The East Carolina University Educational Foundation has received a gift of $250,000 from Metrics, Inc. founder and owner Phil Hodges and his wife, Lisa, towards its "Step Up To The Highest Level Campaign" aimed towards the further enhancement of ECU athletics' facilities.

This latest gift brings the total to more than $10 million donated to date by over 200 benefactors to the $15 million capital campaign to create a practice facility for the men's and women's basketball programs.

Phil and Lisa Hodges and the Metrics team are hopeful their contribution will persuade other members of the local business community to lend their support to this important campaign initiative.

"After talking with coach [Jeff] Lebo and Dennis Young, the need for this facility really hit home for me," said Hodges, who received his bachelor's and master's degrees from ECU. "The University is very important to me and I want to see it continue to grow and prosper; the construction of this building will ensure that persists and allow our basketball program to move forward.

"I hope other area businesses will step forward to offer their support to this campaign. What's good for the University is good for Greenville and good for Pitt County."

The proposed two-story 48,000-square foot facility will accommodate separate courts for the men's and women's teams, separate office suites, team meeting and locker rooms. It will also house the ECU Athletics Hall Of Fame and an area designed to showcase the history of Pirate Athletics.

The new basketball practice facility is part of ECU's $200 million "Second Century Campaign", a comprehensive effort by East Carolina's three foundations to make the University an even better institution of higher learning during its second 100 years.