Texas Tech Celebrates Opening of Womble Center

Texas Tech hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week to officially open the Dustin R. Womble Basketball Center, a state-of-the-art $32.2 million facility that will be the new home to the university’s men’s and women’s basketball programs.

The Womble Center, which was funded entirely through philanthropic gifts to The Campaign for Fearless Champions, represents the premier basketball facility in the country, providing both programs a day-to-day home for player development and strength and conditioning workouts.

“This is hands-down the top basketball facility in the country,” Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said. “When other athletic programs across the nation describe the ideal basketball facility, there’s no doubt in my mind they’ll point to the Womble Center. This facility would not have been possible without the support of so many of our donors, including the Womble family, who recognized our vision for our two programs and invested in their futures. We are incredibly grateful for every donor at every level for helping us make this a reality.”

The opening of the Womble Center marks another milestone for The Campaign for Fearless Champions, which has transformed Texas Tech’s facilities since its inception. To date, the campaign has funded 25 athletic facility projects and has invested more than $200 million into the athletics department, including critical student-athlete resources such as scholarship endowments, nutrition, and the J.T. and Margaret Talkington Leadership Academy.

Texas Tech recently began utilizing the nearly 59,000-square foot Womble Center, which is located directly across from United Supermarkets Arena for quick access for both programs. The facility features practice courts for both teams as well as a 6,500-square-foot strength and conditioning area, one of the largest of its kind in the NCAA that is on-par with similar team headquarters in the NBA.

Texas Tech installed Robbins MVP wooden floors in both practice gyms, long considered the industry leader in court technology. The facility also boasts 3,355-square feet of athletic training space, which includes areas for hydrotherapy and cryotherapy as well as a physician’s exam room and message and treatment areas.

Most impressively, the Womble Center features a strong investment in technology with 97 television or video monitors throughout the facility. This includes a state-of-the-art film room for both teams and 98-inch screens in each players’ lounge complete with gaming systems.

From a player-development standpoint, Texas Tech has installed a video coaching system that allows each team to run a play and then go to the video screen to immediately review team performance. Both gyms also have respective sound systems and acoustical decking that are designed to match the decibel levels at United Supermarkets Arena.

The Womble Center is a great addition to our program that is going to take us to another level. It’s a new chapter for our basketball program where we can get into a facility that has everything we need,” Tech men’s basketball coach Mark Adams said. “It’s a magnificent building that gives us the opportunity to take ownership. I think this is perfect timing to open it up now and gives us a new start. We’re excited to get our team put together and get everyone here so that we can take full advantage of everything this practice facility has to offer.” 

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Texas Tech most recently completed its final investment in the facility with the mounting of video boards in both gyms to replicate game situations while shooting free throws or final-minute situations. It was designed to replicate the visiting team’s facility complete with sound to make the situation as realistic as possible. To date, Texas Tech is the only school in the country with interactive video boards in its practice gymnasiums.

“We have the absolute best practice facility in the nation thanks to Dusty Womble and his passion for Red Raider Basketball. His vision, his commitment, plus his incredible generosity along with the investment from other valuable Red Raider donors has set us apart in student-athlete wellness, development, and recruiting,” Tech women’s basketball coach Krista Gerlich said. “There’s no other place like this in the nation. We are blessed and honored to walk through the doors of the Womble on a daily basis and call it home.”

Additionally, Texas Tech will soon begin work on the Walk of Champions, which is a brick walkway from the Womble Center to the United Supermarkets Arena. Fans can still purchase a customized brick to leave their own legacy at the Walk of Champions by visiting RedRaiderBricks.com.