Ramsey Student Center

The Ramsey Center

Volleyball Arena Gabrielsen Natatorium

Named the best recreational facility in the country by Sports Illustrated in 1997, Georgia's $40 million Bernard B. and Eugenia A. Ramsey Student Physical Activities Center is a constant reminder of the University of Georgia's commitment to athletic excellence and the realization of what is required of greatness.

The Ramsey Center encompasses 440,000 square feet - UGA's Sanford Stadium could fit inside the center's more than five-acre footprint - and the variety offered is as vast as the area covered. Four gymnasia, three swimming pools, seven group fitness studios, climbing and bouldering walls, an indoor challenge course, 10 racquetball courts, two international squash courts, two strength and conditioning rooms, four cardiovascular overlooks, a one-eighth-mile indoor track, equipment checkout and Pro Shop, an outdoor equipment rental and resource center are all available under one roof.

Within the Ramsey Center lies the home of Georgia's Swimming and Diving program - the Gabrielsen Natatorium. Dedicated in January of 1996, the Natatorium honors the service of legendary swimming coach B.W. Gabrielsen. Known commonly as the "Shrewd Norwegian," Gabrielsen was head coach of the Bulldogs from 1948 to 1966 and accumulated a dual meet record of 118-106-4. His list of accomplishments as head coach included instructing 70 SEC championship swimmers, three conference team champions, six All-Americans, one NCAA champion and the Bulldogs' first U.S. Olympic Team member.

The natatorium area contains three separate pools. The 50-meter competition pool contains 844,000 gallons of water and can be configured into four different layouts by utilizing the two movable bulkheads to allow for both short- and long-course training. Adjacent to the main pool is seating for nearly 2,000 spectators. The Aquatic Director's Office, swimming and diving coaches' offices, Timing Room, locker rooms and lifeguard offices, are all located on the deck level.

Two 1-meter springboards, two 3-meter springboards and five diving platforms (1, 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 meters) cantilever over the diving pool. The diving pool is 16 to 17 feet deep, contains 525,000 gallons of water and is equipped with an air sparger system to cushion a diver's entry into the water.

An instructional and recreational pool is located behind the diving platform area. This pool has eight swimming lanes, 25 yards long, contains 130,000 gallons of water and varies in depth from 3.5 feet at each end to 5 feet in the center.

Gabrielsen Natatorium
has not only proven to be a valuable recruiting tool but also a magnet for national-caliber competitions. Since its opening, Georgia has played host to the NCAA Women's Swimming and Diving Championship in 1999 and 2005, the NCAA Men's Swimming and Diving Championship in 2002, and the SEC Championship in 1997 and 2004. U.S. Diving used Gabrielsen Natatorium as the site of the 1997 World Championship Team Trials.