Stephen C. O'Connell Center

Virtual Tour  |  Directions

The Gator gymnasts call the Stephen C. O'Connell Center home. The O'Connell Center's main arena has showcased every possible collegiate championship event on multiple occasions. The 1997 NCAA Championships were contested in the O’Connell Center, drawing the then third-largest total attendance (22,699) in the history of the event. The NCAA Championships also drew well in its first appearance in the O’Connell Center in 1986, drawing the fourth-highest two-day total of 14,299. Florida will again play host to the NCAA Championships in 2010. In addition, the O’Connell Center has played host to NCAA Southeast Region and Southeastern Conference Championship events several times. In 2005, Florida opened the season by playing host to the prestigious Super Six Challenge, drawing a crowd of 8,119 - the then-second-largest crowd in the program's history. The Gators topped that attendance mark for the 2006 dual meet versus Georgia with a crowd of 8,338. The 2008 Florida-Georgia dual meet set the O’Connell Center record with its draw of 10,855 fans.

Both meet and practice facilities are held in the $14 million building, which covers 3.6 acres and contains 292,000 square feet of space. The O’Connell Center had an $8.1 million facelift in the summer of 1998 to add a new roof and improvements to the Gator gymnastics practice facility. The project also upgraded the sound and lighting systems to give the Gators a state-of-the-art capability for pre-meet and competition activities. Another $2.5 million project upgraded concessions, restrooms and entrance ways in the summer of 1999. The fan experience was further enhanced prior to the 2007 season with the addition of four Daktronics 12' x 16' video boards which feature high quality, 10-millimeter resolution, as well as full-color ProAd LED panels. The cost of the additions totaled nearly $3 million.

In the fall of 2001, the Gator gymnastics staff and team moved into new office and locker room facilities. The spacious locker room accommodations feature lockers for each gymnast, shower facilities for use exclusively by the Gator gymnasts. The team and staff also have use of a lounge area, which is perfect for studying, team meetings or a quick nap.

The arena seats 11,120 for gymnastics meets and is home for the Gator basketball and indoor track teams, as well as the Gator volleyball team.  The O'Connell Center is also the site for Florida swimming & diving and indoor track & field competitions.

Ted Crom Gymnastics Studio

The Ted Crom Gymnastics Studio, practice site of the Gator gymnasts, can also be found in the O'Connell Center.  The studio stretches over 9,000 square-feet and contains state-of-the-art AAI equipment.  The Gymnastics Studio was redesigned during the 1997 off-season to accommodate a 16'x40'x6' free foam pit. The pit has a tumbling strip on one end, while the other side features vaulting and a tumble trak. Other additions in the last few seasons include four new balance beams, a rod tumbling strip, a Palmer spring floor exercise, new mats throughout the Ted Crom Gymnastics Studio, a state-of-the-art trench bar, a cast-handstand trainer, trampoline, a double-mini trampoline, overhead spotting rig, a trampoline/vault system and a bungee system.

Gator Gymnastics Fan Support
Florida is nationally recognized as a hotbed of collegiate gymnastics, with the Gators averaging more than 5,700 fans per meet in 2009 -- the nation's fourth highest attendance average. Over the years, Florida’s season attendance average has consistently ranked in the nation's top 10. The O’Connell Center attendance record was set when a crowd of 10,855 watched the Florida-Georgia dual meet on Jan. 18, 2008. That was the second 10,000-plus crowd to watch a Gator gymnastics meet, as 10,651 watched the 1989 Gators defeat Alabama in the Burger King Challenge.

Interest in Gator gymnastics has been growing in recent years. UF's season average attendance has grown significantly since the arrival of Rhonda Faehn for the 2003 season.

Gator gymnasts can relax or study in the newly renovated team room, which is connects to the locker room.	Florida gymnasts enjoy the spacious accommodations in their locker room, which is just steps away from the O'Connell Center's main arena.