RECREATION AND CONVOCATION CENTER (RACC)

In the spring of 1992, the University opened the Recreation and Convocation Center (RACC), an $11 million state-of-the-art facility. The RACC is the home for UAlbany’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, and has an .11 mile indoor track. The 5,000-seat arena also serves as a major venue for community events such as rock and pop concerts, sporting events and University activities.

In addition, the RACC contains a fitness center with Nautilus and Universal machines, rowing ergometers and exercise bikes; four racquetball/handball courts and four squash courts; athletic training and rehabilitation facilities with three whirlpool baths, a musculoskeletal evaluation device and other therapeutic machines.  The RACC also houses numerous team and general use locker rooms, as well as an indoor practice facility for the women's golf team.

The RACC and Physical Education Building were recently air-conditioned, as the state appropriated funds for renovations and permanent improvements to the University's facilities. The $2.3 million in funding was prompted by the New York Giants decision to hold their football training camp at the University in March 1996.

PHOTOS:  The RACC seats capacity crowds of 5,000 for home basketball contests (top), and provides three full length courts as well as upper and lower-level running tracks with the bleachers retracted (middle).  The Fitness Center is available to University students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members (bottom).

PHYSICAL EDUCATION BUILDING & UNIVERSITY GYMNASIUM

Adjacent to the RACC is the Physical Education Building which houses University Gymnasium; three full-size playing surfaces which can be used for basketball, volleyball, and tennis; four racquetball/handball courts; four squash courts; a swimming pool; a fitness and weight training center with Olympic weights; an aerobic exercise room, and a dance studio.

University Gymnasium is home to the UAlbany Women's Volleyball team, and also serves as a practice facility for baseball, softball, field hockey and lacrosse.

University Gymasium is also the school's primary indoor student recreational facility, playing host to intramural sport leagues including basketball and street hockey.

The PE Building's lower level also houses the University's swimming pool.  The seven-lane pool is open to University students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members who purchase facility passes.  The lanes are divided to allow  swimmers of all abilities to share the pool at the same time.

On the second floor of the PE Building is the UAlbany Strength & Conditioning complex, where varsity student-athletes focus on the proper development and combination of strength, power, speed, agility, mobility, conditioning and body composition to enhance performance in all athletic arenas.

UAlbany's strength and conditioning area is housed in a spacious 7,200 square foot varsity strength complex. The weight room is 3,600 square feet and is a fully-equipped, Olympic-style free weight room. An efficient design allows for large teams, or several teams, to workout at a single time. The skills room is another 3,600 square feet adjacent to the weight room that offers a full line of equipment to enhance agility and quickness. It is equipped with plyometric boxes, jump ropes, medicine balls, bikes, cones and various speed building devices. The strength complex is for varsity athletic team use only and is supervised by two full-time coaches and three student interns.

PHOTOS:  The UAlbany Volleyball team prepares for a match against the backdrop of one of two retractable walls, which allow for multiple uses of University Gymnasium (top).  The gymnasium has three full-sized basketball courts for recreational, intramural and varsity practice use (second photo).  The seven-lane pool (third photo) is open to UAlbany students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members.  The Strength & Conditioning complex (bottom) serves all of UAlbany's more than 450 varsity student-athletes.

"The BUBBLE"

UAlbany's air-supported structure, "The Bubble", was fitted with a brand-new covering with minor interior renovations in the spring of 2003. It is located to the east of the Physical Education Building.

It may be utilized for tennis, basketball, and volleyball.  It also serves as a secondary practice facility for football, baseball, softball, lacrosse, track & field, and strength & conditioning.