American University has received two donations totaling $4.5 million to put toward building a new 58,000-square-foot athletics facility, the Center for Athletic Performance.

The gifts, announced Wednesday by AU President Sylvia Burwell, include $3 million from the Bender Foundation and $1.5 million from university trustee board member Stephanie Bennett-Smith. The center, to be called CAP for short, is expected to include training space for athletes and provide new wellness resources for students, Burwell said. The school will also rename part of its student-athlete support program to the Stephanie M. Bennett-Smith AU Eagles Life Skills and Leadership Academy. The university has not set a date for the facility’s groundbreaking.

“These contributions further our work to provide a student-centered, holistic experience both inside and outside the classroom,” Burwell said. “We are focused on sustaining and growing our dynamic campus environment that provides AU students with opportunities,…