STORRS, CT— A backhoe idled beside the aged concrete of the 70-year-old field house as UConn officials marked the start of construction on the Bailey Student-Athlete Success Center, a transformative project set to reshape the university’s athletic and academic landscape.
At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 23, UConn President Radenka Maric, Director of Athletics David Benedict, and Board of Trustees Chairman Dan Toscano gathered with student-athletes, coaches, and major donors to turn ceremonial dirt at the heart of campus.
Dr. Trisha M. Bailey, class of ’99, whose landmark donation led to the naming of the facility, stood beside Denis and Britta Nayden, whose $15 million commitment was announced earlier that morning.
The Bailey Center will overhaul the Guyer Gymnasium on Hillside Avenue and refurbish adjacent areas in the Hugh S. Greer Field House and Wolff-Zackin Natatorium. Once complete, the space will integrate UConn’s Student-Athlete Success Program (SASP), athletic teams, academic support, and sports medicine services under one roof.
The Nayden Center for Academic Excellence will anchor the 12,000-square-foot complex. According to UConn, it will include facilities for “learning, testing, meeting, tutoring, and all academic activities.”
The design includes offices, locker rooms, and team meeting areas for women’s field hockey, rowing, tennis, swimming and diving, cross country, and men’s and women’s track and field.
Benedict said the project will help UConn meet Title IX compliance and extend the complex’s life by another 50 to 60 years. It will also support UConn’s Strategic Plan by creating a centralized hub for student-athlete growth.
Originally built in December 1954, the field house most recently served as UConn’s Student Recreation Center.
After the opening of the new rec center in 2019, officials aimed to repurpose the space, but plans were delayed by the pandemic and budget constraints.
The revitalized structure will also serve UConn’s Department of Kinesiology, with space for strength training, hydrotherapy, biomechanical labs, and rehabilitation services.
Outside, crews will complete masonry repairs, install a new accessible entrance, improve public restrooms, and replace the roof and mechanical systems.
Sustainability remains a core feature. The building is being designed to meet LEED Gold standards, aligned with UConn’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2030 under its Sustainability Action Plan.
Construction is scheduled to continue through 2026. If the timeline holds, the Bailey Student-Athlete Success Center will open in spring 2027.
