Indoor Track / Volleyball Facility:
The University of Tennessee is thankful for two leadership gifts in order to initiate the indoor track & field / volleyball facility. In making their pledge they requested a challenge be made to all former track / volleyball letterman and East Tennessee supporters to give a collective minimum of $1 million dollars to the project in order for them to complete their pledge. Help us exceed that goal!
History of Success
The Track & Field Programs at the University of Tennessee boast an unrivaled tradition and unparalleled success both regionally and nationally. Having earned 51 team SEC Championships and 7 National Championships, we are proud of our past accomplishments and seek to add more victories as leaders in the SEC and NCAA.
Recently, The University of Tennessee Athletic Department committed over $1 million to complete renovations to Tom Black Track at LaPorte Stadium which included resurfacing the track, construction of a new entry plaza, and brick and wrought iron fencing around the competition areas. This has allowed the Vols and Lady Vols outdoor teams to train and compete on a state-of-the-art surface in the midst of one of the most aesthetically pleasing facilities in the country.
The Future
The next step in an effort to empower the student-athletes and coaches while further positioning the Tennessee Track & Field programs for excellence is the addition of an indoor competition facility. With only two schools in the SEC, The University of Kentucky and The University of Arkansas, having an indoor track facility, the addition of this venue will allow Vol & Lady Vol student-athletes to train year-round. The Indoor Track & Field Complex will also allow conference and national meets to be held on campus providing our track teams with the advantage of running in front of a home crowd and in a familiar setting.
The proposed facility would also serve as the permanent home for the Tennessee volleyball program, which has played in three different venues the last 15 years. The team is currently sharing Thompson-Boling Arena with the basketball programs in addition to numerous entertainment and civic groups that use the multipurpose building.
The Lady Vols have been on the rise the last decade. They have been selected to the NCAA Championship field seven times since 2000 and reached the national semifinals in 2005. On the conference scale, the team took home the SEC regular-season and tournament titles in 2004.
This new project would house all phases of the volleyball program, from competition to practices. Coaches offices, which are currently located in the Stokely Athletics Center, would be moved there as well.
The facility will include:
- 6-lane 200m competition track with 8 interior sprint lanes
- Sandpits and runway areas for long and triple jump and pole vault
- Competition volleyball court with retractable bleachers for over 2,500 spectators
- Two additional practice courts
- Team locker rooms
- Coaches offices
- Player lounges
- Trainers room
- Film room
In addition, the Knoxville community is fortunate to have a healthy youth track program run by the Knoxville Track Club (KTC). The University of Tennessee is proud to allow KTC and other youth track programs the ability to use the facility in hopes of increasing the local support of youth track & field while strengthening the health of young people in the area.
Initial feasibility for an indoor competition track and practice facility on the UT campus was estimated at $11.5 million. The University of Tennessee also has a need to find a permanent home for the Lady Vol volleyball program as they have resided in Thompson-Boling Arena since Stokely Athletic Center was closed for competition in 2009. The new building will house a separate area for volleyball and initial feasibility on the volleyball portion was estimated at $7 million. The designated area will include two practice courts as well as a center court for competition, locker rooms, coach’s offices, and seating for spectators.
Support
The UTAD has had two generous donors make gifts to get this project initiated but in order for this project to become a reality we need your help. Please consider making a tax deductible gift to help us reach our goal. Thank you for your interest in Vol and Lady Vol track & field. You can also contact the Tennessee Fund office at (865) 974-1218 or tnfund@utk.edu to find out more information.
