DeKALB | Construction continued on the Academic and Athletic Performance Center Friday night. But there were no cranes, trucks or crews involved.

A banner was simply added during the football game, announcing to the crowd what NIU Athletic Director Jim Phillips and NIU President John Peters formally announced earlier that night — the naming of the AAPC.

The two announced prior to the game in a small tent on the west side of the stadium that Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon will make a $2.5 million donation toward construction of the AAPC. Peters said the donation has achieved the original fundraising goal of $9 million.

“We’re here to announce a historic moment in NIU athletics,” Phillips said. “[This] is the single largest gift ever in our 108-year history of intercollegiate athletics.”

The formal name of the building will now be the Jeffrey and Kimberly Yordon AAPC.

Jeffrey Yordon made the donation, saying he believes the new facility is needed to make NIU more competitive in recruiting high school athletes.

“We have an opportunity here to get to the next level,” Yordon said. “I think we’re almost there.”