The Edwards Family Athletics Center dedication ceremony will be held on September 24th

The new facility serves as a space for academic work, strength and conditioning training, and sports medicine for student athletes

By KAYA DO-KHANH — [email protected]

The new Edwards Family Athletics Center is adjacent to UC Davis Health Stadium and spans more than 50,000 square feet. According to a, it is a multidisciplinary space for Aggie student athletes current press release.

A dedication ceremony for the center was held on Sept. 24, attended by more than 300 people, according to the press release. During the ceremony, the facility was open to the public for an open house and self-guided tour, where student athletes and coaches were present to talk about the new facility.

There was also an extensive celebration with games, food trucks and a beer garden at the Bob Biggs Practice Field.

At the ceremony, Chancellor Gary May said the center’s opening “marks a wonderful new chapter in a long history of excellence for UC Davis Athletics,” according to the press release.

According to the publication, Bruce and Diane Edwards provided the lead gift for the project. Bruce, a 1960 alumnus, played soccer and led track at UC Davis.

“The memories I have playing sports are some of the most vivid of my time in college,” Bruce said in a statement Facility website. “The new academy will only offer Aggie student-athletes more experiences and a better atmosphere to excel in their own lives. I’m so happy to be able to give back to make this a reality.”

Others also contributed financially to the project, and about $52 million has been secured to build the center through September 1, 2021, according to the Edwards Family Athletics Center website.

The Paul and Nancy Sallaberry Sports Performance Center is the largest space at the facility, allowing athletes to complete strength and conditioning training in greater numbers and at more convenient times than would be possible at Toomey Field’s weight room, according to the center’s website.

Meanwhile, the Klein Family Educational and Professional Success Center was created within the facility to provide student athletes with a quiet place to study or take a break. The Muir Family Sports Medicine Center is a place for athletic coaches, physicians, and department heads to meet UC Davis students, faculty, staff, and the Davis community with sports medicine needs, and is home to a number of team meeting rooms.

To minimize cross-campus commutes for athletes, the Bob Biggs practice field was set up next to the facility, according to the website.

“The hope is that it’s a home and a resource for all of our teams,” said Rob Norris, athletics assistant director for development. “There are places for everyone at this facility, and I hope that when our donors come back and look at it, they realize they’ve created a transformative facility for UC Davis Athletics and that it puts a smile on their faces.”

Written by Kaya Do-Khanh — [email protected]

Comments are closed.