The generosity of two longtime Wartburg College supporters will be honored with the naming of the college’s tennis venue.

The Wartburg College Board of Regents recently approved the naming of the Meirink Family Tennis Facility for Steven and Jill Meirink, of Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Steven, a 1999 graduate, was a letterwinner for the Knights’ tennis team and now serves as a member of the college’s Board of Regents. He is executive vice president at Wolters Kluwer in Minneapolis. Jill is a small business owner and manages their real estate portfolio. They have four children.

Approval comes after the Meirinks provided a $200,000 gift to the college.

“Investing in Wartburg and staying connected to the Wartburg community is a priority for our family, and we hope it inspires others to do so as well,” said Steven.

The Meirink Family Tennis Facility serves the men’s and women’s tennis teams at Wartburg, along with local high school teams and the Waverly community. In the summer of 2020, the outdoor courts were resealed with the support of a Fund the Fortress crowdfunding project. The Meirinks’ generosity provides necessary support to sustain the playability of the courts.

“Wartburg provided me the opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities that enriched my college experience,” said Steven. “We are excited to support future Wartburg student-athletes with this gift to maintain exceptional facilities.”

Intercollegiate athletics is an integral component of the college’s living and learning community and impacts the educational experiences of hundreds of students each year.

“It is gratifying to see an alumnus appreciate their experience so much that they want to pass that same experience along to our students today,” said Rick Willis, director of athletics. “It is a great example of leadership and service. This gift allows us to provide excellent facilities for our student-athletes to practice and compete on, and raises the expectations for the program.”

To learn more about the Meirink Family Tennis Facility, visit go-knights.net/facilities.