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The addition will also open office space for coaches to meet, recruit and plan. The project will also open other spaces that will include an academic center that will house a new computer lab, tutoring rooms and offices for staff and student-athlete enrichment.

“For the last few years our teams have been growing, winning and excelling at a speed far outpacing our facilities,” UWF athletics director Dave Scott said. “This is a much-needed addition to our campus footprint and will ensure future success for our athletes, coaches and trainers.”

Sandy Sansing ‘69, CEO of Sandy Sansing Automotive, Peggy Sansing and the Sansing Foundation were recognized at the ceremony for their generous gift commitment of more than $600,000 to the center and student-athlete scholarships.

The University of West Florida (UWF) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on April 18 for the Sandy Sansing Sports Medicine Center, a $6 million facility dedicated to enhancing the quality of care for all UWF student-athletes. The 10,000-square-foot center will be an addition to the Darrell Gooden Center on UWF’s Pensacola campus.

“UWF has always been a place for big dreamers, but those dreams would never be attainable without the steadfast support of our community and dedication of our employees,” UWF President Martha D. Saunders said. “Today, we are one step closer to providing our student-athletes with optimal care, thanks to some special individuals who believed in the dream of the Sandy Sansing Sports Medicine Center.”

The Sandy Sansing Sports Medicine Center will include a new treatment space, new rehabilitation and physical therapy area, hydrotherapy areas and physician exam rooms for student-athletes. UWF athletics worked with Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine on the design and necessary spaces within the facility specifically for student-athletes and coaches.

“As a UWF graduate and a former student-athlete, I am thrilled to be able to help make this facility happen for current and future Argonauts,” Sansing said. “To be able to get behind our university and our athletic program and help them add state-of-the-art facilities and continue to grow and get better is something that my family and I are excited about. We hope this new center helps with the health and wellness of all our future Argos and continues to help the University build champions for life.”

Darrell Gooden ‘73; Dr. Judy Bense, UWF President Emeritus; Eric and Peg ‘81, ‘03 Nickelsen; Rodney ‘91 and Amy ‘98 Sutton; Joe and Maggie Ambersley; Jason ‘04, ‘10 and Heather Crawford; Stephen ‘81 and Mona ‘79 Wright; and Rick Fountain ‘70, dean of the College of Business were also recognized for their generous support to help make this project become a reality.

The center is expected to take around 18 months to construct. For more information about UWF athletics, visit goargos.com.