Wolverines Move Into World-Class Facility
11/28/2017 9:39:00 AM | General, Men's Cross Country, Men's Track & Field, Women's Cross Country, Women's Track & Field
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- After more than four decades of the University of Michigan track and field and cross country teams calling the U-M Indoor Track Building home, the program kicked off a new era of its history on Monday (Nov. 27) as student-athletes attended an official unveiling of the Stephen M. Ross Athletic Campus South Competition and Performance Center.
The Wolverines toured and then practiced for the first time in the brand-new, world-class facility located south of the U-M Golf Course on State Street. The track and field and cross country facilities -- an indoor track building and a new outdoor complex -- are part of the $168 million project, one of the largest in department history.
After a welcome and dedication message from the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics Warde Manuel, student-athletes from not only track and field and cross country but also the other sports who will use the state-of-the-art facility -- lacrosse, soccer, rowing, gymnastics, tennis and wrestling -- were led on tours of the building they will call home for the remainder of their Michigan careers.
Today was a great day, indeed. Thank you to athletics director Warde Manuel and everyone who made our incredible new facility possible! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/upR5hCjtJk
— Michigan Track & Field / Cross Country (@UMichTrack) November 28, 2017
The Wolverines were led through the main atrium of the building into the indoor track and field competition area, where for the first time in person they saw the facility's signature hydraulic banked 200-meter track and the surrounding three-lane 300-meter practice track -- a combination unique among indoor facilities in the country.
The dual tracks in action. Sprinters on the banked 200m, distance runners on the 300m practice track #ThisIsMichigan #WelcomeHome #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/JMZNUIMh9D
— Michigan Track & Field / Cross Country (@UMichTrack) November 27, 2017
Lined up around the perimeter of the track, they were treated to a demonstration of the Beynon Sports "Rise-N-Run" system that raises and lowers the turns of the track up to 10 degrees. Now an international standard for top-level competition, the banked track design reduces the stress athletes' bodies endure going around the shorter corners of an indoor track while allowing for greater speeds.
We're home! pic.twitter.com/GS9SqVCdjV
— Michigan Track & Field / Cross Country (@UMichTrack) November 27, 2017
U-M is one of just seven college campuses in the United States that plays host to a hydraulic banked track, and it is the only institution with such a facility in the state of Michigan.
After taking a lap on the practice track and then the fully inclined banked track as a team, each event group broke off to explore their own unique facets of the facility.
Throwers gravitated toward their one-of-a-kind setup, featuring two competition rings and an additional practice ring, an intricate system of practice netting and two garage doors that open up onto a dedicated throwing field. The unique indoor-to-outdoor setup allows student-athletes to conduct year-round practice in the outdoor-only events (javelin, discus, hammer throw) regardless of the conditions.
Our new indoor facility is officially #MeatFactory tested and approved! Throwers' first day of practice is ? #GoBlue #ThrowBlue pic.twitter.com/8TSEVOXozw
— Michigan Track & Field / Cross Country (@UMichTrack) November 28, 2017
Sprinters and hurdlers built up speed around the banks and checked out the auxiliary practice straightaway right down the center of the infield.
Sprinters made full use of the world-class ? fast track on day 1, using the straightaway and the banked turns #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/x2BrruRJYN
— Michigan Track & Field / Cross Country (@UMichTrack) November 28, 2017
Jumpers were thrilled with the infield setup that allows every horizontal (long jump, triple jump) and vertical (high jump, pole vault) to be visible to the spectators in the bleachers. The infield features a pair of horizontal jumps runways, space for multiple high jump pits, and two pole vault runways -- arranged for optimal viewing angles for spectators.
Couldn't ask for a better place for jumps practice than our brand new, world-class facility. Day 1 is in the books! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/ztC15cwvWH
— Michigan Track & Field / Cross Country (@UMichTrack) November 28, 2017
The team then ventured to the balcony on the north side of the competition area overlooking the track to tour their locker rooms and team lounges.
Tours gave way to the first team meeting in the new facility -- capped off by the first-ever chorus of "Hail to the Victors" in the complex -- which rolled into the first day of practice.
The very first round of #HailtotheVictors in our world-class indoor facility #ThisIsMichigan #WelcomeHome pic.twitter.com/LuFsU4PE3O
— Michigan Track & Field / Cross Country (@UMichTrack) November 27, 2017
The Wolverines will have access to the indoor track portion of the building to practice through the entirety of December, before being officially allowed to fully occupy the facility -- including the locker rooms, training room, weight room and nutrition station -- in early January.
First Look: South Competition and Performance Project
