College athletics have been consistently enhancing their facilities as the years go on. As college athletics brings in a large amount of money to universities all over the country, money is invested back into these universities' facilities.
10. Michigan Wolverines
Michigan recently upgraded its facilities, spending $168 million to create one of the best facilities in the country, covering 280,000 square feet. Aside from a $21 million football weight room, the university has recently added $200 million to build the Cliff Keen Arena for Volleyball, Wrestling, and Gymnastics, along with a new indoor-outdoor tennis facility. Michigan's Stephen M. Ross Athletic Campus contains top facilities for all 27 Division I sports teams. Aside from their athletic teams, the Central Campus Recreation Building is the largest recreational sports facility.
9. Texas Longhorns
With 18 Men's and Women's Division I sports teams, Texas is known for its impressive sports facilities. The Longhorns are preparing to demolish the Erwin Center and the Denton Cooley Pavilion along with the Bubble (indoor training facility), to build a new $338 million arena for the basketball programs. With another recent investment of $20 million into new practice facilities, the university is planning on renewing a few other facilities as well. The school will be setting itself up for success, having one of the top athletic facilities in the country.
Related: Top 5 FCS Football Stadiums
8. LSU Tigers
With recent donations of $28 million, LSU has renovated its training complex and upgraded its indoor practice facility. The 82,000 square foot, climate-controlled, indoor facility is next level compared to others. With amenities such as pools and personal training centers in almost every sports complex on campus, LSU secures its spot on the top 10 college athletic facilities.
7. Oklahoma Sooners
With some of the finest facilities in the nation, it is no surprise that Oklahoma dominates in multiple sports. The school offers various top-notch facilities for each sport. A few of their top facilities include their 132,000 square-foot football complex, 18,000 square-foot Griffin Family Performance Center, and the 7,000 square foot Sam Viersen Gymnastics Center. The Griffin Family Performance Center is mostly dedicated to the basketball teams, with “basketball training courts, free weights, indoor and outdoor turfs, spaces for plyometric and cardiovascular training, cardio and strength testing, locker rooms, an exam and recovery area, a fueling station and a multi-purpose room.”
Related: Oklahoma State University & University of Tennessee Golf Coach Advice
6. Ohio State Buckeyes
In 1994, a $200 million project began to improve the facilities at The Ohio State University. They have now upgraded well over $300 million in athletic facilities, making sure every sport has some of the finest facilities in the nation. After recently finishing the 3-year renovation of the Ohio Stadium, Ohio State facilities have never looked so good.
Photo source: HOK
5. South Carolina Gamecocks
With 18 state-of-the-art athletic facilities, South Carolina contains some of the finest facilities in the Southeastern Conference. Their impressive facilities include the 68,683 square-foot Rice Athletics Center, The Cyndi and Kenneth Long Family Football Operations Center (opened in 2019), and The Jerri and Steve Spurrier Indoor Football Practice Facility.
Related: Why DI Doesn't Always Mean Top Notch Athletic Facilities
4. Texas A&M Aggies
With one of the biggest stadiums in college football, Texas A&M brings in some of the top recruits every year. With $500 million in renovations to the football facility, Texas A&M stands out from others, even spending $12 million on the Slocum Nutrition Center. In addition to football, the Aggies also have top facilities for many other sports teams. The Cox-Mcferrin Center for Aggie Basketball is a 60,000 square-foot facility adjacent to the Reed Arena.
Photo source: Texas A&M
3. Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama is well-known for standing out in athletics. They recently put $9 million into football facilities in the form of a players lounge, arcade games, pool tables, hydrotherapy, etc. With 23 facilities in 14 Division I sports, Alabama continues to bring in the best athletes in the country, year after year.
Related: Day in the Life of Alabama Football Player, Hale Hentges
2. Oregon Ducks
Oregon is known for having flashy uniforms. Due to the founder of Nike – Phil Knight – being an Oregon Alumni, Oregon receives new gear and facilities often. Their newest football facility costs $68 million, spanning over 145,000 square-feet of the campus. If you think that's a lot, the track and field stadium renovations, started in 2018 and completed in 2020, cost $270 million. The world class track stadium rivals many football stadiums throughout the country, and is implementing a Visual Experience Board in 2022, which will be the largest visual board of any track stadium in the country, showing over 5,000 square feet of video screen. Oregon has had multiple other facilities renewed in recent years, such as the Casanova Center, the Moshofsky Center, and the Jaqua Center.
1. Clemson Tigers
Clemson University takes pride in their athletics, putting the majority of their money into making sure their facilities are the best. Over the past eight years, Clemson has spent over $200 million on their athletic facilities to increase overall performance throughout their programs. With a program known as IPTAY, Clemson is able to fundraise money for their athletic organizations like no other. Most recently, Clemson spent $55 million on building a private venue for their football team, ensuring they are treated like no one else.
Photo source: Clemson Tigers
Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities and Campus Visits
If you're a recruit looking still debating where to commit, all of these schools offer facilities worth checking out.
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* Originally published on March 4, 2022, by Finn Rice