Renovations possible for the SAC

The student athletic center, also known as the “SAC”, here at Lipscomb University has always been a staple building on campus. But, according to Kegan York, director of campus recreation, we now have more students than recreation center.

“We’ve definitely outgrown our space.”

Kegan York

Built in 1994, the SAC didn’t have any renovations done until 2011, which moved the weight room from where the Freshens is now to where the weight room now lives. It also got repainted. And in 2019, they added what York called the Rogue Room, as pictured here. It’s more of a “crossfit” type of room than a traditional weight room.

Also, last summer, the basketball courts were sanded for the first time since 1994, and pickle-ball lines were added, replacing the badminton lines that were once there. And every once in a while, they’ll replace some equipment here and there but that’s all the renovations that have taken place over the past almost 30 years.

But the real problem isn’t how old it is; it’s that the students are quite literally outgrowing the space. According to York, if we include intramurals, fitness classes, etc., roughly 55% of all undergrad students here at Lipscomb are using the SAC weekly. That’s about 400-500 students a day. It gets crazier. He said that 250-300 students use the SAC between 3 and 5:30.

York sees the problem and has proposed a possible solution.

To the right of the Rogue Room is a racquetball room. If any renovations to the SAC will be made, York would take down the wall between these two rooms and create a bigger Rogue Room.

This would cost money, and the SAC doesn’t have the biggest budget in the world. This move can only happen with a significant donation or something of the sort. When they get the money, IF they get the money, the Rogue Room will expand, and the SAC will serve the student body even better than it is now.