Wittenberg Natatorium

The Natatorium, proud home of Wittenberg swimming & diving

About This Facility

The Wittenberg Natatorium was built in 1982 and officially opened in 1983 as part of a $7.1 million construction project that also included Pam Evans Smith Arena. Together with six racquetball courts, which have been converted to golf training rooms and storage areas since 2010, the Natatorium and adjacent areas cover approximately 22,000 square feet.

The Natatorium sees year-round use not only by the Tiger men's and women's swimming and diving teams and the Wittenberg community, but also by high schools and clubs for practices and competitions. The pool is a destination for local teams thanks to its cutting-edge systems and spacious accommodations.

Three-hundred spectators can follow the action from the balcony that overlooks the 25-meter-by-25-yard pool and convertible diving well. Eight training lanes running east-to-west convert to six north-south competition lanes to open up the diving area, which is equipped with two one-meter boards and one three-meter board in a depth of 13 feet.

The Natatorium features a top-of-the-line Colorado Timing System, electronic scoreboard, and public address system. To provide a complete training regimen, the Natatorium also houses three power racks, an Olympic trampoline and tumbling mats.

The Natatorium, conveniently located near Legends Lobby in the middle of the Health, Wellness & Athletics (HWA) Complex, has direct, on-deck access to team locker rooms and integrated coaches offices, and is only steps away from the training room. Spectators may access the viewing area from the Legends Lobby in the HWA Complex, where restroom and concession facilities are also available. The southern wall of the Natatorium was originally an exterior wall of the 1929 Fieldhouse.

Accessibility: The Natatorium is accessible to individuals with disabilities, and the athletics staff is happy to make accommodations for interested patrons. Wheelchair seating is available on the pool deck.

History

Wittenberg Swimming and Diving has called the current Natatorium home since its opening in 1983. The first meet in the new facility, versus Ohio Northern on Jan. 15, 1983, also served as the first home co-ed swim meet in Wittenberg history.

A $7.1 million project finished in 1982 as part of the Campaign For Wittenberg added the arena, natatorium, locker and training rooms, racquetball courts, and lobby to the existing fieldhouse to become the Health, Physical Education and Recreation (HPER) Center. The project also incorporated renovations to the 1929 Fieldhouse, where the offices utilized by coaches and staff members of the Department of Athletics and faculty members teaching disciplines related to Health & Sport Studies are located.

Prior to 1983, the swimming and diving teams competed in McGilvray Natatorium, which was transformed into a strength center for many years before locker rooms were created during the renovations completed in 2019. McGilvray Natatorium was considerably smaller, with just a one-meter diving board and four lanes, restricting meets to one team, men's or women's, at a time.

McGilvray Natatorium was an original part of the $400,000 Wittenberg Fieldhouse, constructed in 1929 as the culmination of the Springfield Campaign, a community fundraising venture by President Rees Edgar Tulloss. A plaque marks the exterior wall of what was McGilvray Natatorium, near a lion's head fountain.