Gabrielsen Natatorium

The $40 million Ramsey Student Center was named the nation's best collegiate recreational facility by Sports Illustrated in 1997. Located within the Bernard B. and Eugenia A. Ramsey Student Center, Gabrielsen Natatorium honors the legacy of legendary Georgia swimming and diving coach B.W. "Bump" Gabrielsen.

Known commonly as the "Shrewd Norwegian," Gabrielsen was head coach of the Bulldogs from 1947 to 1966 and accumulated a dual meet record of 118-106-4. His list of accomplishments as head coach included instructing 70 SEC championship swimmers, three conference team champions, six All-Americans, one NCAA champion, and the Bulldogs' first U.S. Olympic Team member.

Dedicated in January 1996, the natatorium area contains three separate pools. The 50-meter competition pool contains 844,000 gallons of water and can be configured into four different layouts by utilizing the two movable bulkheads to allow for both short- and long-course training.

Adjacent to the main pool is seating for nearly 2,000 spectators. The aquatic director's office, swimming and diving coaches' offices, timing room, locker rooms and lifeguard offices are all located on the deck level.

Two 1-meter springboards, two 3-meter springboards and five diving platforms (1, 3, 5, 7.5 and 10 meters) cantilever over the diving pool. The diving pool is 16 to 17 feet deep, contains 525,000 gallons of water, and is equipped with an air sparger system to cushion a diver's entry into the water.

An instructional and recreational pool is located behind the diving platform area. This pool has eight swimming lanes, 25 yards long, contains 130,000 gallons of water, and varies in depth from 3.5 feet at each end to 5 feet in the center.

Gabrielsen has become a magnet for national-caliber competitions. Since its opening, it has hosted the NCAA Women's Championships in 1999 and 2006, and was scheduled to host in 2020 prior to the event's cancellation. It will now host in 2024. The venue has also hosted the 2002 NCAA Men's Championships, six SEC Championships (1997, 2004, 2010, 2014, 2019, 2021), and the 1997 U.S. Diving World Championships Team Trials.

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