As USC Aiken Athletics has grown, its place in context of the University as a whole has evolved. With heightened importance comes the need for new tools for success. The USC Aiken Convocation Center, opened in April 2007, is the grandest tool yet that will equip the Pacer programs with opportunities to succeed
A vision that was some 15 years in the making, the construction of the facility came to fruition only because of the dedicated, hard work of campus and community leaders. As everyone bought into the idea, the resources were raised to make the Convocation Center a reality. Funding for the 17 million dollar, 100,000 square foot facility came from both public and private sources.
With a groundbreaking ceremony on December 9, 2005, construction in earnest began with a 14-month time table laid out for the project’s completion. With China Construction as the builders of the project, Chinese National Television was on hand for the historic groundbreaking.
In addition to giving the men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball programs a new, state-of-the-art facility in which to practice and play, the athletic department as a whole has expanded space and modern offices in which to operate.
Visitors to the building are greeted initially by the beautiful John C. Troutman Family Lobby. Highlighted by the Lew Perkins Wall of Champions, the lobby works as a museum of Pacer greatness both past and present. The Wall of Champions is a dedication to Lew Perkins, the former USC Aiken basketball coach and athletic director and current Director of Athletics at Kansas University, and is a timeline of the history of USC Aiken athletics.
The lobby also includes trophy cases dedicated to each sport, and a hanging banner featuring a prominent student-athlete from each sport's past.
The main arena has a seating capacity of 3,600 for athletic events. The men's and women's basketball and volleyball teams will all practice and hold home events in the arena, which has state-of-the-art sound and scoreboard systems, including a center hung scoreboard in the middle.
One practice floor is located on each side of the arena above the main competition floor, allowing the possibility for up to three teams to practice simultaneously.
Overlooking the main competition floor is the USC Aiken VIP room, which gives the department and outside organizations a facility with a beautiful backdrop to host meetings, conferences, or banquets.
In addition, the building consists of eight spacious locker rooms, including dedicated locker rooms for both basketball teams and the volleyball team.
The first weight training facility dedicated to the student-athlete is also housed in the Convocation Center next to a brand-new athletic training room.
As a testament to its immediate impact on USC Aiken Athletics, the Convocation Center was selected to host the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 Peach Belt Conference Basketball Tournaments.
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Travel Information
From the West
Take I-20 to Exit 18 (the first Aiken exit, Hwy 19). Turn right onto Hwy 19 South and go 4.4 miles to the second traffic light at the intersection of Hwy 19 and Hwy 118. Turn right onto Hwy 118, or University Parkway. Follow Hwy 118 for 3.3 miles (you will go through one traffic light). At the second traffic light go straight and then the Convocation Center will be on your immediate right.
From the East
Take I-20 to Exit 18 (the second Aiken exit, Hwy 19). Turn left onto Hwy 19 South and go 4.4 miles to the second traffic light at the intersection of Hwy 19 and Hwy 118. Turn right onto Hwy 118, or University Parkway. Follow Hwy 118 for 3.3 miles (you will go through one traffic light). At the second traffic light go straight and then the Convocation Center will be on your immediate right.
