Cards Thrilled With G. Garvin Brown III Rowing Center
April 22, 2011 | Rowing
April 22, 2011
Photo Gallery - G. Garvin Brown III Rowing Center Grand Opening - April 20, 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - With a grand opening ceremony on Wednesday afternoon, the University of Louisville women's rowing program has officially moved into the beautiful new 14,000-square-foot, two-story G. Garvin Brown III Rowing Center.
"The G. Garvin Brown III Center is truly an elite training facility," said Louisville rowing head coach Laura Aubrey. "Everything about it is above and beyond anything we could have ever dreamed of. We are so thankful to Garvin Brown III for his generous contribution and for allowing this dream to turn into a wonderful reality."
The facility is conveniently located less than three miles from the U of L campus in the heart of Waterfront Park in downtown Louisville. The first floor of the G. Garvin Brown III Rowing Center includes two 25 x 80-foot boat bays, which house more than 25 top-of-the-line rowing shells and equipment. Also on the first floor is a state-of-the-art, 16-person motorized rowing tank. The rowing tank is an asset to the program and will allow the athletes to continually work on technique and improve skills throughout the entire training season.
The second floor features a 2,500-square-foot erg room with a scenic view of the Ohio River and downtown Louisville. It can accommodate up to 40 Concept2 rowing machines and 15 spin bikes. It also includes a surround sound stereo system, an HD projector and drop down screen. Offices for the head coach, two assistant coaches, graduate assistant and boathouse manager are included. There is also a 1,100-square-foot outdoor deck, a student lounge/study area, showers and locker room to accommodate up to 80 athletes, equipment room and a fully-equipped athletic training room.
"We are already experiencing the benefits from having our boat bays, erg room, video room, rowing tanks, locker rooms and coaches' offices in one place," said Aubrey. "We are able to get so much done in such an efficient amount of time, which really benefits our student-athletes. "The University of Louisville prides itself on supporting each and every one of its athletes. Our athletic director, Tom Jurich, and executive senior associate athletic director, Julie Hermann, are an amazing team. They are committed, dedicated and extremely passionate about what they do. Our athletes benefit everyday from their commitment to excellence and their belief that anything is possible."
The $2.65 million facility is being paid for through private donations and was built by Koetter Construction.
The U of L rowing program began competition in the fall of 1999 and since then, the Cardinals have emerged as a consistent top 20 program nationally. Now in its 12th season of competition, Louisville rowing has produced three Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association All-Americans, 21 CRCA All-Region honorees and 52 CRCA Scholar-Athletes. In 2006, the Cardinals competed in their first ever conference championship regatta at the BIG EAST Championship. U of L won its first BIG EAST title in 2009 with a varsity eight championship in Pennsauken, N.J. Louisville has also finished in the top five in its region in five of the last six seasons.
