LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The University of Louisville has officially named the men’s basketball practice gym at the Planet Fitness Kueber Center as Bill Olsen Gymnasium, after the longtime Director of Athletics, Assistant Coach and UofL letterwinner Bill Olsen, the athletic department announced Friday.

“Bill Olsen dedicated over 30 years of his life to the Louisville athletic department in one way or another,” said current UofL Director of Athletics Josh Heird. “He made such a lasting impact on this department and university with developments and improvements that we still feel today. I’m so glad we were able to honor him with the dedication of the men’s basketball practice gym, permanently associating his name with a program that he gave much of his time and effort to. Every day when our student-athletes walk into the gym, they’ll be reminded of Bill’s extraordinary passion and commitment to Louisville Athletics.”

Olsen began his time at Louisville as a four-year letterman on the baseball team and one-year letterwinner with the basketball program. He later served as an assistant basketball coach on the men’s basketball staff for 11 years between 1969-1980 before transitioning to athletic director until 1997.

The Vincennes, Indiana, native was part of two national championships with the men’s basketball program during his time at UofL: once when he was an assistant coach in 1980 and again in 1986 as athletic director.

As athletic director, Olsen saw the development of the athletic budget increase from less than $2 million to over $16.5 million in his tenure.

He was instrumental in the development and construction of what is now L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium and L&N Federal Credit Union Arena, the latter having served as a home to numerous Cardinal programs to both practice and play over the years.

Olsen began Louisville’s student-athlete advisory committee in 1994 and developed a community engagement/student-athlete development program for all UofL student-athletes in the same year, prioritizing the whole person as opposed to just the athlete.

Olsen was inducted into the UofL Athletics Hall of Fame in 1995.

A two-time graduate of UofL, Olsen and his wife, Sharon, have three children: Doug, Lynn and David.