GRAND FORKS — UND's addition to the Fritz Pollard Jr. Athletic Center will break ground this spring, the school announced Friday.

The addition, previously known as High Performance Center Phase II, provides a weight room, sports medicine area and new locker rooms for football, cross country, softball and track and field.

The addition will be connected to Memorial Village, the public-private partnership that began construction this summer, via an indoor walkway dubbed "Hawkway."

Also included under Phase II is replacement to the turf and track at Memorial Field.

“Breaking ground on Memorial Village is the first domino of what we anticipate being several dominos that will enhance and transform the student-athlete experience for all 17 of our programs," UND athletic director Bill Chaves. "Many of our current facilities have served us incredibly well for many, many years, but as we look ahead to not only the next year but the next several years, this athletic vision will allow us to recruit and retain the best student-athletes possible. Finally, all these projects will not be funded identically. Some may be a public-private partnership model while others may be 100% philanthropic.”

Friday's announcement also mentioned plans for other facilities on campus.

UND said it's actively fundraising for an on-campus softball facility to be located north of Memorial Field between Second Avenue and University Avenue.

UND currently plays softball off-campus at Apollo Park.

In the announcement, UND said it has plans to add a practice court to the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center and "re-imagine end zone seating for basketball and volleyball games" in the building.