Oklahoma tennis used to have pretty humble facilities.
The Sooners’ 12 courts were located next to the athletics dorms off Lindsey Street and Jenkins Avenue by Owen Field.
Now, though, OU boasts one of the finest collegiate tennis facilities in the country, the Headington Family Tennis Center and the brand new Gregg Wadley Tennis Pavilion.
Both have been the talk of this week’s Big 12 Tennis Championships.
“It’s definitely one of the best facilities in the country,” Nebraska women’s coach Scott Jacobsen said. “The indoor facility is state of the art. There aren’t a whole lot of comparable facilities that are as nice as the one here.”
The Headington Center, OU’s outdoor facility located west of Lloyd Noble Center, has 12 courts split into four groups of three. The six north and six south courts are split by two grandstand areas for fan seating.
The complex was completed in 2001 and has hosted two NCAA regionals. This is the second time it has hosted the Big 12 tournament.
Not only is it a point of pride for OU’s men’s and women’s programs, but it’s a selling point for potential recruits. It’s one of the first things the Sooners show off, and they’re getting to show it plenty with the other conference schools in town.
“That is the bright spot of it all,” OU women’s coach David Mullins said. “You get to showcase our first-class facility and get fans from all the schools to come in and see what we have. I’m glad to have hosted, and I’m looking forward to hosting again in 2013.”
The Wadley Pavilion was completed in December after a year of construction. It houses six indoor courts and locker rooms. The large building, on the west side of the Headington Center, has been a major talking point for Big 12 coaches, some of whom were a little envious of the new facilities.
“It’s been fantastic,” Baylor men’s coach Matt Knoll said. “I’m really happy OU’s made such an investment in our sport. These facilities are just world class. We’re fortunate to have them leading the way in our conference.”
OU men’s coach Paul Lockwood couldn’t be happier to be home to the best facilities in the Big 12.
He’s in his 22nd season at OU and has been around long enough to remember the days spent off of Lindsey and Jenkins.
“We’re all so extremely proud of the facility and extremely grateful to the donors who have stepped up over the years,” Lockwood said. “This original outdoor facility, and then the new indoor facility, it’s going to help with recruiting. And it’s going to help us get other tournaments besides the Big 12.”
The conference tournament isn’t all the Sooners are setting their sights on. They want to bring in some big tournaments to the two facilities, including some of the larger Intercollegiate Tennis Association events. Fortunately for OU, the indoor facility gives the Sooners a leg up over other sites.
“We’re already in line to get the ITA regional women’s tournament this fall and the fall of 2010,” Lockwood said. “We’ll also have the ITA regional men, and hope to back that up with a couple national tournaments like the national indoors or the national team indoors.
“I think the sky’s the limit and a lot of good things are going to happen here in the next five to seven years.
OU Sports
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Fans watch the Big 12 tennis tournament Saturday at the Headington Family Tennis Center Saturday.
Discussion
If you build it…
Sooners’ tennis facilities take backseat to none
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