Why do we enjoy college basketball so much? Yes, it’s for basketball, but it’s also for college, and by that, we mean the insane, untamed, and occasionally alcohol-infused atmospheres. Along with the incredible and beautiful college facilities.
Most schools have something special about them, from a traditional chant or song to a beautiful arena from before your grandparents were born. So, please know that your school is unique in its own right. This article’s focus is on the best college basketball locker rooms.
What Does a Locker Room Signify
Although it may appear to be a simple concept, locker rooms serve many important functions throughout an athlete’s career. Some of them include.
- A locker room is where athletes mentally prepare for practice and games.
- After a strenuous workout, they need a place to catch their breath and relax.
- At halftime, a locker room is a place to regroup and devise a new game plan.
- It’s a place where student-athletes can remember why they’re competing for their school.
- A place where teammates can give each other advice and discuss their sport openly.
- It’s a good place to listen to a pregame music playlist.
- When the coaches and media are not present, the locker room serves as a place to relax and think.
- It’s a place to think and grow.
- A study area for student-athletes.
- It’s where athletes discuss the weather and make plans to hang out over the weekend.
- In a locker room, teammates can become lifelong friends.
- It’s a place that becomes a second home for athletes.
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Types of Locker Rooms
We classify lockers into four types:
- Medium lockers (12 in. X 22.5 in.) – Ideal for storing a jacket, shoes, and books, as well as a laptop computer.
- Large lockers (12″ x 32.5″) – Perfect for storing a jacket, shoes, books, and a laptop.
- Full lockers (10″ x 67″ or 12″ x 69″) – Ideal for storing outerwear, boots, and a backpack.
- Lockers with electronic access in locker rooms (12 in. x 32.5 in.) – Lockers for storing a jacket, shoes, books, and a laptop. It’s designed as a changing room (designated for specific programs)
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What Materials Are Lockers Usually Made of
#1. Wood Lockers
Wood lockers are of high quality and extremely long-lasting. These are appropriate for stadiums, athletics, and sports teams, as well as upscale country clubs and gyms.
You can go with the raw natural wood look or select from a variety of stains ranging from cherry to maple, followed by premium glossy clear coats for a truly elegant finish.
There is also the option of having the locker’s core be industrial-grade particleboard with a wood veneer finish. The wood veneer provides the elegance of a solid wood locker while being less expensive.
#2. Plastic Lockers
Plastic lockers are quite durable, cost-effective, and quiet. Another option is to use plastic laminate lockers. We can make plastic laminate lockers from a variety of different materials.
The locker’s core compromise of Industrial Grade Particle Board, Medium-Density Fibreboard (MDF), or Thermal-Fused Melamine. The plastic lockers are resistant to water and are ideal for humid locker rooms. Plastic is also extremely durable and scratch-resistant.
There are two grades of plastic laminate: vertical and horizontal. It is available in textured, glossy, matte, or realistic wood grain finishes, besides colored finishes. This is a very versatile locker material used in a variety of industries.
#3. Metal lockers
They account for the vast majority of locker sales in the United States. These lockers are mass-produced at a low cost. Because they are mass-produced, your only option is usually pre-set dimensions and fitting as many lockers as possible based on the limited dimensions available.
They typically deliver metal lockers to the job site KD (knocked down), which means you will receive a pallet full of parts and a large bag of nuts and bolts. When planning your locker room budget, consider the cost of materials, freight, Jobsite assembly, and installation for metal lockers.
Other complaints include they are noisy when opening and closing the locker doors (which can be annoying and a real turnoff to your customers) and the limited color options compared to wood or plastic lockers.
For these reasons, most major metal locker manufacturers have offered more color options and manufacture wood and/or plastic lockers to meet the needs of their clients.
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15 Best College Basketball Locker Rooms
Here are the best college basketball locker rooms
#1. University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill
The North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s intercollegiate men’s basketball team.
The Tar Heels have won seven national championships in men’s college basketball (1924, 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, and 2017). The University of North Carolina has one of the best college basketball locker rooms.
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#2. Women’s Basketball–University of South Carolina
The South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team competes in the SEC for the University of South Carolina. The Gamecocks have improved their win totals each year under current head coach Dawn Staley, culminating in SEC Championship wins in 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. It has one of the best college basketball locker rooms in the U.S.
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#3. Indiana University
Indiana University has one of the best college basketball locker rooms. It is a one-of-a-kind museum/exhibit space that chronicles Indiana basketball history through photographs, artifacts, trophies, and interactive touch-screen kiosks.
The finish palette includes wood, limestone, and back-painted glass as the foundation. These finishes would provide a clean backdrop to the iconic branding elements found in the furnishings and used throughout the design.
The overall design created the motivating and energetic environment needed to attract new athletes while reminding them of the honor involved in representing IU.
#4. Ole Miss
With their many outstanding records, it comes as no surprise that Ole Miss has one of the best college basketball locker rooms in the United States.
Creating a polished and highly produced Cribs-style video to accompany the construction of a practice facility is undeniably a bonus that comes with the construction of a practice facility.
They have some cool CIA gear, but to use it, scan your fingerprint. Because so many people have attempted to steal the many basketball secrets held by Ole Miss.
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#5. Kentucky
The University of Kentucky is home to the men’s college basketball team known as the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats compete in the NCAA Division I tournament. In terms of the all-time winning percentage, the Kentucky men’s basketball program is the most successful in the history of NCAA Division I basketball.
When it first opened in 2007, the Joe Craft Center in Kentucky racked up a tab of thirty million dollars. The most recent addition, which took place earlier this year? A completely redesigned location for players, complete with massage lounges and a video wall that is 15 feet tall.
#6. Oklahoma
Oklahoma has one of the best college basketball locker rooms. The Oklahoma State University men’s basketball team has competed in the Final Four on five separate occasions (1939, 1947, 1988, 2002, and 2016) and the Sweet Sixteen on ten separate occasions (1985, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2015, 2016).
For opulent training facilities, Brad Underwood is a seasoned veteran. The one at Oklahoma State University got finished in 2010 and has a marble staircase that leads downstairs to the weight room and locker room for the Cowboys.
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#7. West Virginia
The West Virginia Mountaineers men’s basketball team competes in the NCAA Division I college basketball competition. They compete in the Big 12 Conference. In 2012, West Virginia went all out with its new facility, especially in the locker room.
They designed the lockers after LeBron James’ locker in Cleveland and include a shoe tower that can hold seven pairs of shoes. With such an explicit locker design, it’s no surprise that West Virginia has one of the best college basketball locker rooms.
#8. Nebraska
Nebraska has one of the best college basketball locker rooms. Nebraska invested heavily in basketball, building Pinnacle Bank Arena and the Hendricks Training Complex.
The latter has a player lounge with a custom couch and three 65-inch TVs and two 103-inch TVs. The Nebraska Cornhuskers men’s basketball team competes in NCAA Division I as a member of the Big Ten Conference.
The program began in 1897, and NU has since compiled a record of 1,535-1,417, with seven NCAA tournament appearances and sixteen NIT appearances.
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#9. Duke
The Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball team competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference and represents Duke University in NCAA Division I college basketball. Jon Scheyer currently coaches the team. They rank fourth all-time in NCAA men’s basketball wins. Duke University has one of the best college basketball locker rooms in the U.S.
#10. Villanova
The Villanova Wildcats men’s basketball team represents Villanova University in men’s college basketball and competes in the NCAA Division I Big East Conference. Their first season was from 1920 to 21.
They have one of the best college basketball locker rooms. This should serve as a model. It is an elegant structure that is up to date with the latest technology and gives a subtle nod to the history of Villanova.
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#11. Ohio State
For the college basketball competition at the NCAA Division, I level, the men’s basketball team known as the Buckeyes represents The Ohio State University. The Ohio State Buckeyes are a school that competes in the Big Ten Conference.
The Value City Arena in the Jerome Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, which first opened its doors to the public in 1998, is where the Ohio State Buckeyes play their home games. Ohio State has one of the best college basketball locker rooms in the U.S.
The Buckeyes gave their locker room a more contemporary and metallic appearance, and it turned out well. I believe it complements the aesthetic of the team and lends a one-of-a-kind quality to the locker room.
This is one of the most appealing locker rooms thanks to its inclusion of hydrotherapy areas, a water wall (yes, I meant water wall), and grooming areas besides a player’s lounge.
#12. Tennessee
The Anderson Training Center is 145,000 square feet, and every inch of that space contains services that will make other people green with envy. These include a multi-level weight room, hydrotherapy, and a player’s lounge.
Because they equipped the entire locker room with a coach-player video delivery system, there is no difficulty in maintaining communication despite the expansive size of the locker room.
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#13. Florida State University.
Florida State University has one of the best college basketball locker rooms. The athletic training temple at Florida State University got renovated in 2003 and opened to all student-athletes.
It features a rehabilitation facility that is 15,000 square feet in size, which is five times larger than any of the school’s previous training rooms.
In addition, there is a theater here where press conferences and team meetings are usually held. There is also a studio where students enrolled in the Communications School can produce content for the athletic program.
#14. Ithaca College
Ithaca College has one of the best college basketball locker rooms. The Athletics and Events Center at Ithaca College in upstate New York opened in 2011 for all students for roughly the price of a single Gulfstream G650 jet.
A 130,000-square-foot field house, an aquatics pavilion with an Olympic-sized swimming pool (where students can take classes like aquatic Zumba [you know you want to]), and a multi-sport outdoor stadium with a field that lights up are among the highlights.
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#15. The University of Cincinnati.
The University of Cincinnati has one of the best college basketball locker rooms. Varsity Village in Cincinnati houses all the Bearcats’ athletic facilities, including the football, basketball, and baseball stadiums, as well as a marching band center.
The Lindner Center, which looks like a spaceship that took a wrong turn, contains locker rooms, offices, hydrotherapy pools, and meeting spaces for each of Cincy’s sports teams.
Coincidentally, the cost of the village is the same as what the Cincinnati Reds paid to re-sign pitcher Homer Bailey, who has been abysmal this season. A sports complex appears to be a far better investment.
What Are The Components To Consider When Designing College Locker Rooms
#1. Amenities in the Locker Room
Although most people associate locker rooms with lockers and showers, and for good reason, these aren’t the only amenities to consider.
Dry and wet vanities, for example, are an essential component of any well-designed locker room. These vanities offer students a convenient place to shave or apply makeup.
#2. Circulation of traffic
It’s insufficient to design a locker room with showers, bathrooms, and changing areas. The layout of the locker room should be logical and not interfere with traffic flow.
The main path should be wide enough for two people to pass each other, and access to dry areas from wet areas should be direct and close while still providing adequate privacy.
#3. Lockers
The number of lockers depends on several factors. For starters, how many people can your facility house? The number of students you expect to use the lockers is the next factor to consider.
Because of their hectic schedules, more students may arrive dressed to work out and then return home to change and shower. In the end, how many lockers to provide depends on a combination of user demand and space.
#4. Selecting the Best Materials
For materials for your college campus locker rooms, you have a lot of options. Certain materials, however, fare better than others because of their frequently humid nature.
When exposed to moisture, for example, wood can become extremely prone to mold, mildew, and rot, making it an unsuitable material for shower stalls or wet vanities.
Metal is another popular option because of its durability. Metal is prone to rusting and denting, which means you’ll have to replace it, eventually.
In contrast, HDPE plastic is extremely durable and resistant to virtually all locker room hazards. They have proven HDPE to be resistant to rust, scratches, dents, mildew, corrosion, and even graffiti.
What is The Average Space Occupied by a Locker Room?
Because there are no industry standards for locker room square footage, expert opinions vary—but most agree locker rooms should take up 10-15% of the overall square footage of the facility.
“As a general rule, the quick answer is about 12-15% of the overall facility size. Similarly, each locker room in a 60,000-square-foot facility may have between 3,500 and 4,500 square feet.” These are starting points that need adjustment based on the various factors.”
However, keep in mind that this rule of thumb has a limit—as units get smaller, the required locker room percentage may increase to accommodate the minimum fixtures and facilities required.
“Many times, this will prevent the ability to have any locker rooms at all; smaller schools may choose to have common locker areas with dedicated individual toilet and shower rooms.”
Consider the types and number of fixtures required by the plumbing code, occupancy load, and other factors.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Locker room talk gets communicated among members but is not accessible to those outside the group. We might expect the conversation to reflect the group’s values and priorities in an environment where members feel safe to express themselves without fear of being overheard.
The University of Texas spent $10 million renovating its athletic center in 2017, with $7 million going to the football locker room alone. New custom-designed lockers costing around $8,700 each were part of the renovation.
Haden Fry, a former coach, has credit for this idea. As a student at Baylor University, Fry earned a Master’s degree in psychology, and legend has read that pink can have a calming effect on people. When he first arrived in Iowa in 1979, he had the visiting room walls painted pink.
With over 500,000 square feet of indoor space and 40 acres of outdoor space, the University of Texas at Austin’s Recreational Sports program is massive, providing students with a campus recreation center on a scale that only Texas can provide.
Some locker rooms have bathroom stalls you can use while you’re there. If you are extremely uncomfortable changing your clothes in front of others, you can quickly slip into a bathroom stall and change your clothes.
Boxing is the most athletic sport on the planet. A wide panel of sports experts, including sports scientists, researchers, athletes, and journalists, objectively ranked the level of athleticism required to compete in 60 sports a few years ago.
Conclusion
So there you have it: our list of the top college basketball locker rooms. When it comes time to choose the best place to further your education, keep the following factors in mind.
It’s great to attend a large D1 college because the experience, diversity, and equipment are fantastic, but if the team atmosphere off the field, court, or track isn’t what you expected, you’ll fill out transfer applications. Make important college decisions slowly, ask questions, and take your time.
References
- 2adays.com -Top locker rooms.
- nbcsports.com -Best college basketball arenas.
- nj.com -Best college basketball facilities.
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