Cal State San Marcos is celebrating the grand opening of its first venue for indoor sporting events.
And it couldn’t come at a better time.
With 15,000 students, enrollment at the school is at an all-time high. And the athletic teams are eager to play in front of their home crowd in the brand new Sports Center.
Samantha Flores is on the women’s volleyball team. She said she's looking forward to their upcoming season.
“It’s gonna be completely different" she said. "I mean, we’re gonna have this support, this intimate support that we haven’t had before, because we had to play at a high school, or different gyms. And now, this is our crowd, it’s our home, and it’s our facility.”
The Cougars’ athletic director, Jennifer Milo, pointed out a home court advantage isn’t only important for athletes.
“It’s important for students to have that student-life element, so that they’re not just getting in their car and going to class and going home," she explained. "They can now take part in intercollegiate athletic events on our campus, and it creates a sense of pride on our campus.”
The Sports Center seats 1,400 people for volleyball and basketball games.
The $11.4 million facility was funded by a combination of student fees and philanthropy.
