“This facility represents UWF’s commitment to providing our student-athletes with the very best resources to support their academic and athletic pursuits,” said UWF President Martha D. Saunders. “I would like to thank the Sansing family and our generous donors for allowing us to enhance UWF’s care for student-athletes as they compete in their given sports. This facility will serve as a source of pride for the University and the community for years to come.”

The 10,000-square-foot center will provide enhanced care and expanded space for more than 370 UWF student-athletes and staff. Sandy Sansing ‘69, CEO of Sandy Sansing Automotive, Peggy Sansing and the Sansing Foundation were recognized at the ceremony for their gift commitment of more than $600,000 to the center and student-athlete scholarships. 

“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,” said Sansing. “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.”

UWF athletics worked with Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine on design and necessary spaces within the facility for student-athletes and coaches. Through a partnership with Baptist Health Care and Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, students in UWF’s movement sciences and health department will be training in this space, earning contact hours and lab hours through internships and learning opportunities on-site.

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 and many other donors helped make this project a reality. 

For more information about UWF Athletics, visit goargos.com.