Student Rec Center wins a NIRSA 2010 Outstanding Sports Facility Award

NIRSA ANNOUNCES 2010 OUTSTANDING SPORTS FACILITIES
Nine new collegiate recreational centers set the standard for functionality, architecture

CORVALLIS, OR — The National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA), the pioneer in organized recreation programs for colleges and universities, is proud to announce the nine recipients of its 2010 Outstanding Sports Facilities (OSF) awards.

NIRSA began presenting annual OSF awards for creative, innovative designs of new or expanded facilities in 1988. Each winner is considered a standard or model by which other collegiate recreational facilities should be measured and from which others can benefit. NIRSA selects and publishes information on these facilities as a resource for campus master planners, recreational sports directors, designers, architects, contractors, and recreational sports students.

The indoor facility award winners for 2010, listed alphabetically by institution, are:

•    California State, Chico Wildcat Recreation Center
•    Delaware State University Wellness and Recreation Center
•    Montana State University, Bozeman Marga Hosaeus Fitness Center
•    Texas A&M- Corpus Christi Dr. Jack and Susie Dugan Wellness Center
•    Texas State University Student Recreation Center
•    University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Activities and Recreation Center
•    University of Texas at Arlington Maverick Activities Center

The oudoor facility award winners for 2010, listed alphabetically by institution, are:

•    Florida State University Rec SportsPlex
•    University of Georgia Recreational Sports Club Sports Complex

"These facilities represent the very best and the very latest in collegiate recreational centers," said Jeff Huskey, Director of Campus Recreation at Stephen F. Austin State University and Chair of NIRSA's 2009-2010 Outstanding Sports Facilities Award Selection Committee, which oversees the award process. "These facilities not only provide a location for physical activity, but also create a sense of community on their campus. The students who utilize these fantastic facilities are more successful academically and are more satisfied with their overall college experience."

Recent research backs him up. A 2004 study commissioned by NIRSA and conducted by Kerr & Downs found that participation in recreational sports programs and activities is a key determinant of college satisfaction, success, recruitment, and retention.

To be eligible for an Outstanding Sports Facilities Award, the facility must belong to a NIRSA member institution, must be no more than two years old, total construction costs (excluding design and land fees) must be at least $2 million, and the facility must be more than 20,000 square feet.

The judges are recreational sports directors from member institutions and designers or architects who are associate members. They evaluate each facility on the following criteria: correlation to the campus master plan and mission; intended and actual impact on the recreational program; unique aesthetic or architectural features; the relationship between facility design and staffing; innovative construction materials or methods; sustainable features; and technological benefits for the customer, staff or budget.

Winners of this prestigious award will be recognized at the NIRSA Annual Conference and Recreational Exposition April 20-23, 2010 in Anaheim, California.

National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA)
NIRSA is the leading resource for professional and student development, education, and research in collegiate recreational sports. Headquartered in Corvallis, Oregon, NIRSA was established in 1950 at a meeting of 22 African-American men and women from 11 Historically Black Colleges and Universities at Dillard University. NIRSA now includes nearly 4,000 highly trained professional, student and associate members throughout the United States, Canada and other countries. Serving an estimated 5.5 million students who regularly participate in campus recreational sports programs, NIRSA members are actively engaged in many areas of campus life: student leadership, development, and personnel management; wellness and fitness programs; intramural sports; sport clubs; recreation facility operations; outdoor recreation; informal recreation; and aquatic programs.