Matthew (Moose) Lopez
Managing Editor
Students, faculty and staff filled the brand new gymnasium bleachers of Texas A&M University-San Antonio’s recently developed student recreation center Aug. 28 for its official unveiling.
The 2,322-square-foot facility began construction in March 2023 and will house A&M-San Antonio’s new men’s and women’s basketball teams.
The new $19.2 million facility features an expansive gym: 4,500-square-foot weight room that includes multiple exercise machines, ellipticals, treadmills and various dumbbell sets, along with locker rooms and a basketball court.
Art Olague, director of recreational sports, Darnell Smith, director of athletics, and A&M-San Antonio President Dr. Salvador Hector Ochoa spoke at the unveiling to highlight the different contributions made to help complete the facility while emphasizing the growth the center will bring to the university and the Southside.
“We need to thank our previous Jags who graduated, who paid the fee and will never get to use this facility,” Ochoa said. “Because they wanted this for you.”
The $19.2 million was mostly funded by student fees.
Olague, who is responsible for the recreational sports department, said the excitement for the facility should not just connect the student body, but should elevate the A&M-San Antonio experience as a whole.
“We have student life. We have a budding student population. We’ve had community members from VIDA wanting to come get access,” Olague said. “People are going to come in and feel that home court advantage and what we offer here. It’s going to be fantastic. ”
This fall, A&M-San Antonio recorded more than 8,000 students enrolled, another record breaking count following fall 2023’s student enrollment number of 7,619.
Dr. Ochoa believes the new recreation center will benefit the student population by giving them a place to congregate and have fun while maintaining good physical and mental health, which he said is especially true for commuting students.
“If you don’t live on campus, you just go to class,” Ochoa said. “[The recreation center] gives them a place to feel connected.”
The opening featured more than one university unveiling as the school also showcased a new look for General the Jaguar, the official mascot of A&M-San Antonio. Olague said the redesign aimed to be different enough from the current university logo but still accurately portray the values of the school.
“We wanted to give it a level of fierceness, a level of strength and a level of positive attitude,” Olague said. “Just what the university represents.”
General studies senior and commuter student Timothy Castillo says the new recreation center is an upgrade from the old one, which was located in the university’s Madla building.
Madla was the first building constructed for A&M-San Antonio.
“There’s a lot more machines for students to use, and now they have a volleyball net that we can possibly use,” Castillo said. “It’s definitely a step forward for the future generations who come to this school.”
History junior Roberto Blanco is currently employed at the new recreation center and worked the front desk at the original gym. When comparing the two, Blanco said he noticed more new people coming in to use the facility and all of the new amenities it has to offer.
“We finally have an indoor court that the basketball and dance team has been practicing on,” Blanco said. “It just brings a whole new atmosphere and vibe to the new rec center.”
This semester will be the inaugural season for A&M-San Antonio’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. The teams will compete in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics’ Red River Conference.
Darnell Smith said the next construction project is an eight lane full-sized track with a multi-purpose turf field and a softball stadium that will also be turf.
Smith is hoping final renderings of these projects will be done by the end of the year. Schematic designs would still need approval from the A&M System Board of Regents.
“Our softball team should be competing in a new stadium, ideally, in the spring of 2026.” Smith said.
