The University of Lynchburg’s golf team has new digs and a state-of-the-art Trackman golf simulator, thanks to a $150,000 gift from Jacque and Sean Grzebin, a Florida couple whose son, Sean Grzebin Jr. ’29, is a player on the men’s squad.
The Grzebin’s gift established the KP Performance Center, named for Jacque Grzebin’s mother, the late Katherine Purdy. While Purdy didn’t play golf, Jacque Grzebin said her mother, who raised her as a single parent, “had absolutely nothing, but found a way to live a very positive life by putting others first and believing in someone who may not have that support.”
The KP Performance Center is located at Wake Field House in what was once a racquetball court. On the first floor, there are lockers, above which hangs a banner celebrating the 2025 NCAA Division III individual golf title won by Eddie Coffren V ’25.
There’s also a Lynchburg-branded coffee table flanked by two sofas — one black, one red — and illuminated, Hornet-themed art.
The highlight of the KP Performance Center, however, is its golf simulator. With it, the Hornet golf team can play hundreds of 18-hole golf courses from around the world. It also includes a driving range and other practice settings, such as putting and chipping, and reports ball and club speed, spin rate, carry, and other stats.
“It has benefited me by giving me the opportunity to really look at in-depth numbers … when I really want to work on something with my swing,” said Alan Van Asch ’26, a statistics and data science major from Raleigh, North Carolina.
“The Trackman is a great piece of technology that gives you so much data about every shot. You’re able to see exactly what happened or changed with every swing, so it’s really a great tool for fine-tuning our games.”
On a steel platform above the simulator, accessed via a flight of stairs, is an adjustable putting green. The green and the entire first floor of the center is covered in synthetic turf, making the entire facility playable.
“[It] allows us to train regardless of weather conditions and provides feedback instantly,” Allen Smith, head men’s coach and compliance director, said. “The Trackman technology gives us so much data on the golf swing and can help us to pinpoint specific areas for improvement.”
The space was designed by Logan Gower, Lynchburg’s capital projects manager. “I designed it and then sent it to … a steel fabrication company in California,” he said. “They fabricated the steel structure, and it was shipped here on a flatbed and we assembled it.”
Gower was quick to add that creating the space was a team effort that involved Michael Veverka, director of men’s and women’s golf; Ed Smith, director of strength and conditioning and assistant athletic director of sports performance; and Holden Fielder, assistant strength and conditioning coach.
Director of Athletics Jon Waters was instrumental in making the donors’ vision a reality. “He said, ‘This is their vision. Can we make it happen?’” Gower said. “The platform was Jon’s idea.”
While local contractors were used for painting, electrical, HVAC, and synthetic turf installation, Gower said “the opportunity presented itself to where we were able to do a lot of it in-house.”
The KP Performance Center was formally dedicated in October, but the team has been using it since late September. Already, the team’s coaches have seen its impact.
“Since we have added the performance center, there has been a significant improvement in ball striking across the board,” Smith said. “We’re able to hone in on specific details with our scoring that really helps our precision.
“Our simulator is the best of the best when it comes to data and accuracy. We can also use it outside.”
Comparing it to other brands of golf simulators he’d used, Smith added, “the Trackman is certainly next level.”
Veverka agreed.
“The biggest thing is that it allows our players to see, quite clearly, where their game is, from an objective view,” he said. “It allows us to see areas we need to focus more on and areas we’re already proficient in, so we’re able to use our time during practice effectively and efficiently.”
Van Asch has been using the simulator on rainy days and in the evenings, when local golf courses are closed.
“It’s really cool to use,” he said. “It’s something that I’ve seen and used in other indoor golf spaces that offer hourly rentals, so having one for our use 24/7 is really special. Being able to play and practice at almost any course the pros play, at any time, has been fun. …
“Being able to hit some shots while doing homework or just hanging out with teammates is great.”
The idea for funding the KP Performance Center originated during one of Sean Grzebin Jr.’s campus visits.
“One of the variables in Sean Jr. making his decision [about attending Lynchburg] was the ability to play golf year-round,” Jacque Grzebin said. “We live in Florida and have been very lucky to have access to golf courses pretty much all year.”
Jacque Grzebin said she realized her son’s golf training at Lynchburg “would be much different than what he was used to, primarily due to the change in climate. My husband immediately thought about a golf simulator for the team in that space.”
It also was her husband’s idea to name the facility for his mother-in-law, who supported him decades ago when he was struggling to finish college.
“My mom allowed him to move into our home,” Jacque Grzebin said. “We had only been dating about 10 months. Two years later, he graduated with an economics degree, with honors, and is now CEO of home lending at JP Morgan Chase.
“He credits her [with] allowing him to continue his education. In his words, she believed in him when no one else did. She forever changed the trajectory of his life and basically our family — him, myself, and our four children. …
“We are hoping that this inspiration can fuel the athletes to know that although we may not know them personally, we believe in their success in all forms.”
