KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Tennessee Athletics unveiled Thursday approved plans for a $30 million upgrade and expansion of the current 145,000-square-foot Anderson Training Center, which has served as the exclusive home of Tennessee Volunteer football since 2013.
“When Anderson Training Center was first built, it was one of the best—if not the best—football facilities in the country,” Vice Chancellor/Director of Athletics Danny White said. “This renovation is intended to get us back to that level. I am extremely encouraged by the many donors who are eager to impact that process and help get this project moving because they understand the benefits that will result for our student-athletes and football program as a whole.”
The student-athlete-centric project will include an additional 36,000 square-feet and renovate nearly 100,000 square-feet of existing space. Planned features include:
· a renovated, state-of-the-art locker room with new lockers and locker space for current NFL VFLs
· a full-body recovery lab with float tanks and cryotherapy chambers designed for optimal recovery
· an expansion of the current weight room and nutrition center
· a nap room with energy pods
· a new, expansive players’ lounge with arcade and bowling lanes
· a fully-functional outdoor team pavilion and a full-length basketball court
· additional meeting rooms
One of the unique aspects of the expansion will benefit student-athlete recovery immediately exiting the practice field. A cool-down-sequence “car wash” will take players through a climate-controlled mud room to drop off their helmets and pads before navigating through a 360-degree shower wall and cold plunge pool. The “car wash” concludes with a wall of full-body hot-air dryers and a recovery fueling station.
“Since arriving in Knoxville, we have emphasized that the student-athlete experience is at the forefront of everything we do,” head coach Josh Heupel said. “The upgrades to the Anderson Training Center will give current and future Volunteers the most player-friendly experience in the nation and an opportunity to maximize their development as we compete for championships. Our program has created significant momentum in a short amount of time, and we are grateful that this initiative will be coming to fruition.”
Additional details on the facility will be announced in the future, and construction is expected to begin in early 2022.
The $45 million Anderson Training Center, which houses the day-to-day operations of the football program, was officially dedicated in the spring of 2013. It includes coaches’ offices, team and position meeting rooms and state-of-the-art facilities for strength and conditioning, nutrition, rehabilitation and hydrotherapy.
The facility was named in honor of the leadership support of the Anderson family, including Charlie and Moll Anderson of Knoxville; Terry and Susan Anderson and Charles and Hilda Anderson of Florence, Alabama. Charlie and Terry (and Terry’s son, Carson) played for the Vols.
The Anderson Training Center expansion project is being funded through the “My All” Campaign. Launched in the summer of 2021, the $500 million “My All” Campaign is a comprehensive fundraising initiative to ensure Tennessee’s ability to provide a transformational student-athlete experience for current and future Vols and Lady Vols.
The campaign aims to impact each of Tennessee’s 20 varsity athletic programs by providing championship resources to support student-athletes’ academic and competitive pursuits.
Fans interested in learning more about how they can participate in the “My All” Campaign are encouraged to click HERE or call the Tennessee Fund at (865) 974-1218
-UT Athletics
