New Athletic Sports Performance Center completed, unveiled

JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State unveiled its new Athletic Sports Performance Center at Stephenson Hall on Saturday. The newly-renovated 12,000 square foot space, once home to the Gamecock basketball program in its formative years, will serve all 17 of the department's intercollegiate teams.

The weight room features 14 brand new custom Hammer Strength racks, wall-to-wall rubber flooring and a 35-yard artificial turf area that stretches hashmark to hashmark.

Additional upgrades include a state-of-the-art surround sound and speaker system, more than 100 new barbell sets, over 300 new Hammer Strength olympic weights and two corner projectors and 12-foot video screens.

"This project is very exciting for our athletic program," athletic director Greg Seitz said. "We aim to provide our student-athletes with outstanding facilities, and this sports performance center is another great step in that vision. I believe this is something the young men and women who represent Jacksonville State University in the field of competition will be very proud of."

Renovations to Stephenson Hall's gym began in January and was completed at the end of March. Equipment was delivered last week with additional exercise items scheduled to arrive in the coming days.

"I think this facility is going to be a game-changer for us," head strength and conditioning coach Gavin Hallford said. "It's top-notch, and is the largest weight room in our conference and one of the largest among FCS schools. The flooring company said this is the third-biggest floor in the country they have installed behind Clemson and Michigan.

"The size of this center gives us endless opportunities to change up our program and create versatility in our workouts."

The open area and 14 double-sided racks translate into 28 working stations, allowing for multiple teams to use the facility at once without overcrowding.

The turf will serve as a warm-up area prior to workout sessions while doubling as a space for super sets during lifts. The turf is also rated to withstand heavy drills such as sled pulls and tire flips.

Additionally, JSU is putting the finishing touches on an additional 5,000 square foot room located adjacent to the main workout area, formally the home of the University Recreation Fitness Center, into a rehabilitation and recovery center for injured student-athletes that require individual training. Both facilities will combine to provide more than 17,000 square feet of training space for Gamecock athletes.

Later this spring, new signage and wall graphics will also be installed.

The athletic performance facility previously presided inside Kennamer Hall. Total floor space of the former weight room was 5,000 square feet with 10 racks and a two-speaker sound system.

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Players Mentioned

Gavin Hallford

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