CHATTANOOGA---The Chattanooga Mocs continue to find ways to positively impact the student-athlete experience. Groundbreaking began this summer on the Wolford Center addition to McKenzie Arena. The academic enhancements for well over a decade produce consistent results in both grades and academic progress. That's the mind, how about the body?

The Wolford Center will have several impact points in both sports medicine and athletics performance. Its completion is coming, but the future is now for the well-being of all student-athletes with a refitting of the current Brenda Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center with a focus on the Wolford Family Strength & Conditioning hub.
 
It's a dramatic improvement on the space available. The room was cleared, and new equipment brought in to maximize strength efforts. There is also an addition of a nutrition zone to keep all areas of athletics performance at the forefront.
 
"This was a much-needed enhancement benefitting the efforts of (Dir. of Athletics Performance) Gerry Pacitti and his staff," Vice-Chancellor Mark Wharton explained. "It was really top-to-bottom covering equipment, flooring, graphics and nutrition.
 
"We invested a half-million dollars into our student-athletes with this project through a wide range of funding including the commitment of our donors."
 
The donor base for this project came from One Chattanooga funds and a gift by Todd Moreland. One Chattanooga is a group of 20 leadership donors who committed $1,000,000 in philanthropic support to impact direct areas of need for student-athletes.
 
The change to the area is dramatic with less free weight and more targeted equipment. It includes neck, shoulder press, climb and leg press as well as row machines.
 
"I think our student-athletes will see a great benefit both in and out of season," Pacitti shared. "I love to use machines and the circuit aspect of our setup. This is all top-of-the-line equipment."
 
In addition to the machines, the free weights were overhauled as well. That's from the little details of changing to pounds from kilo weights to neutral grip barbells helping save the shoulders.
 
Just as important to the weight development in Pacitti's mind is the focus on all areas that affect performance. An old storage closet was turned into a nutrition station that includes a presence from the campus dietician.
 
"She's been lights out in so many ways for our student-athletes," Pacitti added. "We've worked with both campus and external providers to assist the inventory for the area including our smoothie station. It's easy to tell them what they should eat, but having it here, on hand, really reinforces it.
 
"Our administration's support and commitment to our student-athletes is amazing. We've greatly improved the functionality of the facility, and I'd put it against the best of the FCS and the Group of 5 schools we recruit against."
 
It's not just the machines. Technology is used through a new bank of television screens tied into the staff's computers to assist in displaying the day's work and areas of focus. It was also repainted and branded as well as new flooring.
 
The University is celebrating the work during Homecoming festivities this week with a special unveiling for the donors who were instrumental in the completed work. The Lawson Student-Athlete Success Center includes the Chattem Basketball Practice Facility.

Take a sneak peak here with Coach Pacitti...


 
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