Penn State has chosen Baltimore-based design firm Cannon as the architects for a massive upgrade to the McCoy Natatorium, according to the official University blog.
The existing Penn State pool was considered a great facility in 1967 when it was built, however in the 44 years since, it has become outdated and insufficient to meet the needs of the 44,000 strong student body, let alone the varsity swim programs.
The current facility features an indoor 6-lane 25-yard pool, a shallow-water 6-lane, 25-meter pool, and a separate dive tank. Penn State also has an outdoor 50-meter pool, but even that is ancient – built in 1968.
Now, the Nittany Lions will accelerate the program resurgence mode that they’ve been in the past few years with the addition of a first-class, 50-meter indoor facility. Besides providing top training opportunities for their athletes and a greater availability to their student body, they are hoping to take back the Pennsylvania High School State Championship meet, which they controlled until Bucknell opened the brand new 50-meter Kinney Natatorium in October of 2002.
The ability to get more swimmers on campus should help Penn State take better advantage of the local swimming community, which has become one of the strongest in the nation in the past few years. Most years, the state’s top swimmers leave the borders to attend college, but they will now have a program that will be better able to meet the needs of elite recruits.
Among other aquatics facilities designed by Cannon are the temporary $3.5 million Brown “Aquatic Bubble” (home to the swimming and water polo teams while their massive new $25 million facility is being built), the Flickinger Natatorium at Erie Community College, the Unitersity of the Redlands, and George Mason; as well as broader rec center projects from several major universities including Alabama, TCU, Minnesota, and Arizona State.
Bill Byrne made it personal, after he dropped the team at his previous school, dropped NEB and the went to A&M and tried to drop it there. He fired the HC and moved the assistant to HC without a pay raise, fact. Say what you will but I believe these sports can be and possibly are over looked because the AD has no connection with swimming. You and i have both run into people who have absolutely no idea about swimming beyond Phelps, Torres and maybe Lochte. There are plenty of ADs who may fall in that category.. It may very well be why NEB still has a program…
I did not say hi, I probably should have.. Although there… Read more »
I hope he doesn’t pull that trigger, although I could see it if the team doesn’t get away from the bottom of their conference ranks. Hopefully the move to the big ten and recruiting big ten states will help. Otherwise they might fill in the pool and make a VB practice court…
I will say that Osborne shows some support for swimming, he was watching his grand daughter swim at our club’s age group meet this weekend. He went to her club’s meet on Halloween too.
The philisophical question becomes do you want AD’s making decisions based on personal inclinations? Given the background of most Athletics Directors, I don’t think this would bode well for the aquatic disciplines…
Still, its great to have such a big name take the time out to go to a meet! Did you say hi??
I hope UW Madison takes a hint from all these big 10 schools building new pools, no college needs it more! And they could really benefit from it!
With Penn State losing state money AND THE FOOTBALL PROGRAM HEADED DOWN! Who’s paying for it? The kids who attend Penn State? Very small percentage of people swim or even use an indoor pool. Very interested to see how much more Debt tht school will incure. You cannot host that many swim meets to pay for it. Tired of paying high taxes so public school people can say hey look what we have!
Do we have any idea when the construction will begin? When might the pool open?
We have an interview lined up with the Penn State coaches next week, where we should get more specifics about that type of thing. Stay tuned!
Yeah, so…what’s the latest on this?
Come on, Osborne! Pull the trigger already!!
Yikes, I think if Nebraska pulls the trigger on women’s swimming, it’s going to mean the opposite of building a new pool….