Crum Basketball Center a Slam Dunk

SMU basketball has a new MVP: the $13-million, 43,000- square-foot Crum Basketball Center, where players and coaches have their own one-stop shop to practice, strength train, watch films and receive rehabilitation care.

The facility is made possible by a leadership gift from Sylvie P. and Gary T. Crum. Other major donors to the facility are David and Carolyn Miller, Vic and Gladie Jo Salvino, and the Embrey Family Foundation.

"Along with our other varsity athletic programs, men's and women's basketball helps build a sense of community on campus and provides Dallas with exciting collegiate activities. Our players now have a great new resource for developing further their skills and competitiveness," said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. "We are grateful to our generous donors for supporting our commitment to provide our students with the best possible campus experience."

In December 2006, SMU broke ground on the Center, which joins Moody Coliseum as the new home for SMU's men's and women's intercollegiate basketball programs. The facility contains separate full-size practice courts for each program, locker rooms and lounges, and a fully equipped training and rehabilitation room with in-ground hydrotherapy pools.

SMU Director of Athletics Steve Orsini said the new facility is a shining example of the University's support for its student-athletes.

"We have made a commitment at SMU to be Top 25 in all we do," he said. "The Crum Center exceeds that standard and will help our basketball programs train and recruit top-level student-athletes."

SMU's basketball coaches say the Center will allow them to recruit more competitively against other schools with basketball-only practice facilities.

Related links

• Read more about the Crum Basketball Center
• View a video of the dedication ceremony
• View a slideshow of the dedication ceremony