Pacific Athletic Center
Pacific's Home For Sport and Fitness
Driving directions and map to the Pacific Athletic Center (mapquest)
For
every Pacific student, their sports, fitness and recreational experience
begins and ends at the Pacific Athletic Center, located on the north end
of the Pacific campus.
Constructed in 1970, the "PAC" as it is affectionately called, is one of the largest small college athletic facilities in the Northwest with 95,000-square-foot of floor space on two levels. The PAC is home to all of Pacific's intercollegiate athletic teams, athletic offices and the department of exercise science.
A
recent remodeling project brought the PAC"s activity spaces up-to-date
with other facilities of its type and size in the area. The $3 million project,
completed in September 2000, added a 5,000-square foot weight and fitness
center, remodeled athletic department offices, proviuded for the construction
of a wood gym floor and made the building more aestheically pleasing for
general use.
In 2003, the lower level of the PAC received a significant renovation, enhancing locker rooms and space for Pacific's Athletic Training Department. The remodel include the addition of 16 state-of-the-art team rooms, providing private areas for team meetings and dressing space.
The PAC gymnasium is the home to Pacific's volleyball, basketball and wrestling
teams. The facilities seats 2,500 fans for basketball, wrestling and
volleyball matches. The aggressive nature of the fans gives the
PAC a reputation as a "hard place to play" among many of its conference
opponents. When not being used for practice or events, the gym has three
basketball and volleyball courts available for student use.
The
fieldhouse is unique among small college athletic facilities in the region.
The 15,000-square foot facility serves as an indoor practice area for baseball,
softball, tennis and track & field during the wet Oregon spring. Pacific
is one of only three schools in the Northwest Conference with an indoor
practice facility, and Pacific was the first to have such a building. The
fieldhouse has two basketball courts, two tennis courts and four volleyball
courts, depending on configuration, available for student use.
The weight and fitness center features the latest in free weights, Nautilaus-style fitness machines and cardiovascular workout equipment. The intramural dispensary has a variety of equipment available for student check-out. Other amenities in the PAC include three racquetball courts, saunas, a dance studio and wrestling mat room.
The PAC continues to be a popular place for special events, both athletic and non-athletic. Athletically, the PAC is the annual host for the annual Mike Clock Open and Pacific Junior Open wrestling tournaments, numberous age-group volleyball tournaments and rhythmic gymnastics competitions. Non-athletic events held at the PAC include graduations for Forest Grove and Banks high schools as well as Pacific's annual Music In May festival.
Since 2003, the Pacific Athletic Center will be the host to the OSAA/U.S. Bank State 2A High School Volleyball Tournament, which brings over 300 high school athletes to Forest Grove each November.
Athletic Facility History
The Pacific Athletic Center is the third facility that Pacific athletes have called home. The University's first gymnasium, moved to the east end of campus in the 1890's, was located in an old baptist church which was moved onto campus.
When the first gym was moved onto campus, the goal was to create an athletic "quad" for the campus on the northeast corner of the campus. The gym was adjacent to the main athletic field (now Tom Reynolds Field) and served the University for 20 years. By 1910, the number of men participating in physical education and athletics increased the need for a new, larger facility.
The second gymnasium was built in 1910, was located in the center of campus. The site is between the Clark Residence Hall and the University Center, and is now a sand volleyball pit.
The Pacific gymnasium was a three-story structure which featured a main gym floor, a suspended running track and a swimming pool in the basement. The wooden structure, however, did not provide much seating area for events. Consequentially, many varsity contests were held in other venues during the 1950s and 1960s. Basketball games were played at Forest Grove High School (now Tom McCall Upper Elementary School), and wrestling matches were held in the multipurpose room in the University Center.
The old wooden gymnasium was torn down in 1971 following the completion of the Pacific Athletic Center. Before the building was leveled, though, students took the opportunity to put one last coat of paint on the old building, decorating the walls with various murals. A pair of those murals were saved and are on display in the museum in Old College Hall.