Former Western Illinois University women?s athletics director Dr. Marion Blackinton has committed $10,000 toward the renovation of the Brophy Hall Weight Room. The facility will be officially renamed in her honor with a ceremony during Saturday?s 7 p.m. women?s basketball game.The Dr. Marion Blackinton Weight Room will be renovated with state of the art weight machines to be used by both student-athletes and Department of Kinesiology students. ?I feel that expanding and refurbishing the weight room is needed in order to meet the training needs of the student-athletes,? Blackinton said. ?It is something that many teams, not just one or two, will benefit from. Also, I?m very pleased that it will be of benefit to the Kinesiology Department.?Blackinton, a 1990 inductee into the Western Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame, was instrumental in the founding of the Gateway Athletic Conference and in the continuing development of the women?s athletic program. During her tenure, Western moved from the AIAW ranks to its NCAA Division I status. She served as a coach, administrator, instructor and women?s athletics director for 19 years.?Dr. Blackinton has been an integral and influential member of the Intercollegiate Athletics Department for more than 30 years. Her gift is a reflection of her commitment to advancing the student-athlete experience here at Western Illinois University, ? said Director of Athletics, Dr. Tim Van Alstine.The Dr. Marion Blackinton weight room is part of the Target: Western Forward Facilities Initiative that has realized over $2 million in improvements to a wide variety of athletics facilities.