Recreational Sports Center History

The Recreational Sports Center is dedicated to Betty A. Thompson, the first director of Recreational Sports. She arrived at UT in 1954 as a teaching fellow and served the University for 34 years. From 1954 to 1988 she served as an instructor in the Department of Physical Education for Women, now known as the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. Professor Thompson served as the director of Recreational Sports from 1972 to 1988.

The Recreational Sports Center, located south of the Moncrief-Neuhaus Athletic Center, opened on Oct.  11, 1990. Funding for the facility's construction derived from a $20 per semester dedicated student fee, approved by a 68 percent affirmative vote in a March 1985 referendum.

Built to accommodate the recreational needs of a growing University campus, the Rec Center - as it is affectionately known - features 120,000 gross square feet of space. The center features top-of-the-line basketball, volleyball, handball, racquetball, wallyball, martial arts, dance, fitness and weight training facilities. It also includes lounge areas and multi-purpose rooms.