For over a decade, the Albion College tennis teams called the Dow Recreation and Wellness Center home during early season practices. Erected in 1988, the Dow Center serves as flexible court space for basketball, volleyball, badminton and tennis. The building also contains a 1/9-mile track, two racquetball courts, a weightroom with fitness equipment, training and rehabilitation areas, a classroom, locker rooms and the Department of Physical Education offices. The building allowed the tennis teams to practice indoors during bad weather. However, the multi-purpose lighting was not ideal for varsity tennis matches and the teams had to share court time with other teams, intramurals, and others.
Plans for a new tennis facility began in the late 1990's during the Briton Athletic Drive. The plans called for an addition to be attached to the north wall of the Dow Center. The end result was an addition of more than 30, 000 square feet to the existing building. Work began during the summer of 1998 and by late fall the building was beginning to take shape.
Completed in time for the tennis team’s return from pre-season matches in Arizona, Ungrodt Tennis Center houses four new full-size, indoor tennis courts, two coaches offices, and an upper level mezzanine for viewing.
Dedication ceremonies took place April 23, 1999 as Paul “Skip” Ungrodt, ’52, passed along his passion for tennis to current and future Albion College varsity tennis players. Albion College varsity tennis players presented Ungrodt (second from right) with a giant tennis racket and ball symbolizing his giant committment to Briton athletics.
First-class in every way, Albion College’s new indoor varsity tennis facility opened its doors to rave reviews. A traditional block-style ‘A’ adorns the entrance to Ungrodt Tennis Center, accessible from Lomas Fieldhouse in the Dow Center. Approximately eight feet in diameter, the inlaid design compliments the multi-colored carpet that highlights the College’s school colors—purple and gold.
From the perspective of a ball-boy or ball-girl, this view offers a look at the upper level mezzanine and reveals the indirect lighting illuminating the building. On-court illumination is supplied by fifty indirect light clusters, spread over the four regulation tennis courts. Netting between, and surrounding, each court is retractable.
The upper level mezzanine allows spectators comfortable seating, as well as overhead viewing of all four courts.
The mezzanine also offers access to coaches offices. The photo on the left shows the doors of the coaches offices on the far wall. Each office has windows overlooking Ungrodt Center tennis courts in addition to the buildings along the southern edge of campus.
On the opposite end of the mezzanine, spectators can enjoy the view from the windows overlooking the adjacent Dow Center. At each end of the mezzanine is a stairway leading to court level and to the Lomas Fieldhouse.
Photographs by Dave Trumpie
