Brock Coyle gives back to build recovery room for Grizzly athletes

As an All-Big Sky linebacker at the University of Montana, a five-year NFL veteran, 2015 NFC Champion, and Super Bowl XLIX alum, Brock Coyle knows what it takes for an athlete to perform at the highest possible standard.

As one of the top soccer players in Montana history and a current professional soccer player in Europe, his sister Alexa Coyle also knows what it takes to perform at the highest level.

That's why Brock, on behalf of the Coyle family, is giving back to his alma mater, donating the funds for a major facility upgrade to help future generations of Grizzlies recover faster, perform better, and bring more championships to Missoula.

The Grizzly Athletics Coyle Recovery Room Powered by Hyperice will be a first-of-its-kind facility in the Big Sky Conference that will provide a space for all UM student-athletes to focus on body and muscle recovery with all the tools necessary to help athletes recover faster and perform better.

"They say the best ability is availability. I want to give Grizzly athletes the ability to recover, take care of their bodies, and be available for their team so they can consistently perform at their best. This room will be a place for them to do just that," said Brock.

"As a student-athlete, you give so much of your time, your effort, and your body to the university, so I wanted to give something back to them and give them a place where they can recover and take care of themselves."

The 1,000 square foot Coyle Recovery Room will have space for 11 recovery chairs, each outfitted with a complete, full-body Normatec compression recovery system. The room will also be equipped with percussion massagers, heating wraps, and foam rollers, allowing student-athletes to work on their bodies in their own space on their own time.

In designing and building the recovery room, the Coyles, Grizzly Athletics, and Hyperice partnered to bring their professional-level equipment to the University of Montana.

Used by elite athletes, professional teams, and national governing bodies worldwide, Hyperice is an industry leader in recovery technology and a pioneer of percussion, vibration, dynamic air compression, and thermal technology.

"This is a room for athletes. It's not a training room with athletic trainers. It's not a coach's office. This is a place just for the student-athletes, where they can recover, relax if they need to, and use this state-of-the-art recovery equipment on whatever ailment they may have," said Brock.

"It's all available to them, and I think we really have the right equipment in there for the athlete to utilize so they can take care of themselves."

The Coyle Recovery Room Powered by Hyperice will feature:

A 1,000 square foot recovery facility
11 DreamSeat Recliners with Griz branding
11 Normatec 2.0 Pro dynamic air compression recovery systems
- 9 Leg Attachments
- 4 Hip Attachments
- 3 Arm Attachments
12 Hypervolt Plus percussion massagers
4 Venom heat and compression shoulder massagers
2 Venom heat and compression back massagers
2 Venom heat and compression leg massagers

The Coyle Recovery Room is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by the end of the semester. The room is located on the east concourse of the Adams Center in space vacated by the old weight room and is part of the greater locker room and equipment facility improvement project already underway.

The construction and appointment of the new recovery facility is 100-percent funded by Coyle's donation. No tuition or tax dollars will be used on the project.

"Both Alexa and Brock had a tremendous impact on the athletic department and the University of Montana during their time here, and this facility only adds to that legacy. This gift is a perfect example of a student-athlete giving back, and the fact Brock chose to build a facility that will improve the health and wellness of Grizzly student-athletes is a testament to who he is and what he values," said athletic director Kent Haslam.

"I cannot thank Alexa and Brock enough for their outstanding accomplishments while they studied and competed at UM and for the impact this gift will have on student-athletes to come."

During his career as a Grizzly, Brock Coyle totaled 293 tackles at linebacker, with one of the top-10 totals in Grizzly history at 125 as a senior and team captain in 2013 to earn All-Big Sky honors. He also earned the team's Steve Carlson MVP award in 2013 and was presented the 2014 men's Grizzly Cup award, given annually to the top overall student-athlete in Grizzly Athletics.

The Bozeman native went on to play for the Seattle Seahawks after graduation and advanced to the Super Bowl with Seattle the following season. After his time with the Seahawks, he played for the San Francisco 49ers before an injury ended his career in 2019.

Alexa Coyle scored the ninth-most goals in Montana soccer history with 19 in her four-year career and was a three-time team offensive MVP. She was also the team's top goal-scorer and points leader in four-straight seasons and led the team in game-winning goals in three seasons. She was a two-time All-Big Sky pick and was named to the Big Sky All-Tournament team four times.

She now plays professionally in Scotland for the Hibernian Women's Football Club of the Scottish Women's Premier League.

In designing the room, the Coyles leaned on their experience as world-class athletes to ensure the best recovery equipment would be available to give UM student-athletes the best possible recovery experience.

"As my career has progressed, I have continued to learn the importance of recovery as an athlete," said Alexa.

"Both Brock and I wanted to ensure this room would provide Grizzly athletes with the most comfortable recovery experience possible, from the chairs to the way the equipment is set up, to the size of the space, ensuring ease of use. Optimal design, functionality, and comfortability were our top priorities for this room, and we are so pleased that it is coming together in a way that caters to all three priorities for the athletes."

The Coyles say they hope the recovery room they designed and brought to life will inspire future Grizzlies, both male and female, to know they have all the tools needed to pursue their dreams as a UM student-athlete.

"After being away for so long I realized how special the University of Montana is in my life and how much my time here made me grow as an individual and as a football player. I think of all the blood, sweat, and tears I put into this place. I will always care about it, and I want to see continued success here," said Brock

"Alexa and I both had successful careers, and both played professionally. So, I'm hoping we can be examples to other student-athletes. We want future Grizzlies to know that if you put in the time, if you respect and take pride in your university, if you're a good teammate, you work hard and take care of yourself, you can accomplish whatever you set out to do."

"My time as a Grizzly had a tremendous impact on who I am as a person and athlete. Being a part of the soccer program meant the world to me and provided me some of the most rewarding years of my life," Alexa added.

"I am proud to be a part of helping this room become a reality. I hope it inspires future generations of Grizzly athletes to take pride in representing the university, and it makes a positive impact on their recovery and performance."

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