University of Tennessee Athletics
Tennessee Student Aquatic Center
July 26, 2001 | Men's Swimming & Diving
Tour the Student Aquatic Center
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During its 33-year history, the University of Tennessee's Student Aquatic Center has gained a reputation as one of the nation's most comprehensive training facilities. In fact, the Aquatic Center has played host to no less than eight major regional or national events since its completion in 1967.
The Aquatic Center has hosted six Southeastern Conference Championships as well as the 1973 NCAA Championships and the ground-breaking dual meet between the United States and the Soviet Union in 1982.
In addition, the SAC housed U.S. Olympic training in 1972, 1980 and 1996. An enthusiastic crowd numbering in the thousands turned out in the summer of 1996 for an open workout, as the U.S. men's and women's Olympic squads prepared for their excursion to Atlanta.
"The Site Selection Committee of the Olympic International Division reviewed five prospective sites for 1996 Olympic training," UT head coach John Trembley said. "On the basis of environment, total facilities and proximity to Atlanta, the University of Tennessee and the Student Aquatic Center received the bid to host to the Olympic team as it prepared for 1996."
The facility added to its rich and storied championship history in 1996 when the Southeastern Conference Swimming and Diving Championships visited Feb. 7-10, despite a blizzard that struck Knoxville the weekend prior. Before a large partisan gathering of Big Orange faithful, Tennessee put on one of its best displays in several seasons on the way to a league title. Previous to 1996, the SAC last hosted Southeastern Conference competition in 1988.
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The final project was the addition of a 10-meter platform in the indoor facility. In 1992, workers literally raised the roof over the diving well in order to make room for the new addition.
That platform was christened during a meet with Georgia and Alabama on Jan. 23, 1993, with the entire diving team including head diving coach Dave Parrington taking a plunge from its lofty heights.
With the completion of the 10-meter indoor platform, Tennessee became the only Division I program with side-by-side indoor and outdoor regulation 50-meter swimming pools and side-by-side indoor and outdoor 10-meter platforms.
The second phase of renovation was completed prior to the 1991-1992 season. The Ray A. Bussard Intercollegiate Indoor Pool and the diving well were drained so that workers could retile and repaint the facility. In addition, a built-in tiled jacuzzi was added for the divers and a new lighting system was installed. The result was a brighter, more modern look to an already premier swimming and diving facility.
The first phase of the reconstruction project was finished in 1990. The regulation outdoor 50-meter pool was completely renovated at a cost of $1.2 million and is now heated year-round.
In addition to possessing excellent overall facilities, the Aquatic Center has provided the Volunteers with a "home pool advantage" that can be matched by few venues in college athletics. Tennessee has hammered out 41 consecutive victories at home lasting from Jan. 16, 1988 to Nov. 22, 1997. During that time, six consecutive classes left Knoxville with a spotless home record. After that loss, the Vols have not lost at home since as they attempt to start another winning streak.
"It's particularly nice to have seniors leave Tennessee never having tasted defeat at home," Trembley said. "That's become a tradition, and it's been a source of pride for the program for many years."
Underscoring UT's prolific home success is the fact that the loss to Texas was the first Trembley has experienced in 17 seasons at the Student Aquatic Center. Trembley, who was an All-America swimmer with the Vols from 1971-1974, served as an assistant coach from 1975-1979 and has been in charge of the Vol swimmers since the fall of 1988.
Completed in 1967 at a cost of $1.7 million, the Student Aquatic Center was paid for entirely by money from student activities and service fees. In addition to being home of the Vols and Lady Vols swimming and diving teams, the center serves as a recreational area for students and faculty of the University.
The Student Aquatic Center consists of two Olympic size pools, one indoor and one outdoor. Both are regulation size, 50 meters long and 25 yards wide, with separate areas for diving.
The indoor facility features a separate diving well with a five and 10-meter tower, two three-meter boards and two one-meter boards. The indoor pool is named the Ray A. Bussard Intercollegiate Swimming Pool in honor of the legendary coach who brought swimming back to UT in 1968. The indoor facility has a seating capacity of approximately 2000 and features a brand new Daktronics timing system. The system is considered one of the finest made and provides micro-second accuracy for collegiate competition. It automatically computes and prints out results and splits for swimming and scores for diving.
The outdoor facility, which hosted the 1976 U.S. Olympic Diving Trials, has a tower with platforms at five, seven and one-half and ten meters, along with two one-meter and two three-meter boards.
Ample dressing room facilities, along with a weight room featuring Nautilus equipment, are available for men and women. The Vols have a separate dressing room for their All-Americas.
In addition to its service as a center of competitive swimming and training, the Student Aquatic Center also functions as the recreational hub of the campus. Surrounding the SAC are intramural fields as well as tennis, basketball and handball courts. Tom Black Track,host of the 1995 NCAA Track and Field Championships, is only a few steps away from the Aquatic Center.
Student Aquatic Center Records
Free
| Distance | Time | Athlete | Date |
| 50 | 19.45 | Ricky Busquets, Tennessee | Feb. 7, 1996 |
| 100 | 43.01 | Ricky Busquets, Tennessee | Feb. 7, 1996 |
| 200 | 1:36.67 | Mike Heath, Florida | March 4, 1983 |
| 500 | 4:20.67 | Paul Robinson, Florida | Feb. 25, 1988 |
| 1650 | 15:08.98 | Jason Gorrie, Florida | Feb. 27, 1988 |
Back
| Distance | Time | Athlete | Date |
| 100 | 47.59 | Craig Gilliam, Tennessee | Feb. 8, 1996 |
| 200 | 1:44.91 | Michael Andrews, Auburn | Feb. 10, 1996 |
Breast
| Distance | Time | Athlete | Date |
| 100 | 54.16 | Jeremy Linn, Tennessee | Feb. 9, 1996 |
| 200 | 1:59.59 | Matt Buck, Georgia | Feb. 10, 1996 |
Fly
| Distance | Time | Athlete | Date |
| 100 | 46.85 | John Hargis, Auburn | Feb. 9, 1996 |
| 200 | 1:43.87 | Mike Heath, Florida | Feb. 29, 1988 |
IM
| Distance | Time | Athlete | Date |
| 200 | 1:46.04 | Kurt Jachimowski, Auburn | Feb. 8, 1996 |
| 400 | 3:49.98 | Eric Christensen, Florida | Feb. 9, 1996 |
200 Free Relay
| University | Time | Athletes | Date |
| Tennessee | 1:18.50 | Busquets, Pietrzak, Gilliam, Wiseman | Feb. 7, 1996 |
400 Free Relay
| University | Time | Athletes | Date |
| Tennessee | 2:54.54 | Rindahl, Ebuna, Coan, Newton | March 3, 1979 |
800 Free Relay
| University | Time | Athletes | Date |
| Florida | 6:27.00 | Gaberino, Mestre, Boyer, Heath | March 4, 1983 |
200 Medley Relay
| University | Time | Athletes | Date |
| Tennessee | 1:25.86 | Gilliam, Linn, Rumbaugh, Busquets | Feb. 7, 1996 |
400 Medley Relay
| University | Time | Athletes | Date |
| Tennessee | 3:10.56 | Gilliam, Linn, Rumbaugh, Busquets | Feb. 8, 1996 |
