ERNEST B. MCCOY NATATORIUM
Penn State’s aquatics complex is one of the most complete indoor-outdoor facilities in the East. McCoy Natatorium has been the home of Nittany Lion swimming and diving since 1969, and was named after Ernest B. McCoy in 1980. McCoy served from 1952-70 as Penn State’s Director of Athletics and Dean of the College of Health, Physical Education and Recreation. Locker room and office renovations in the summer of 1988 served to re-design and tastefully upgrade the McCoy complex. In addition, the fitness loft, with over 40 pieces of exercise equipment, was installed in 1990. McCoy’s locker rooms again received a face-lift in the summer of 2004. The indoor facility includes three areas: a six-lane, 25-yard racing pool; a six-lane, 25-meter instructional pool; and a 42-square-foot diving well. The 50-foot wide racing pool is a fast course, running from a depth of 10 feet at the starting end to six feet at the turning end. A Colorado electronic timing system with a complete readout board is used for all collegiate competitions in the racing pool. The 25-meter pool is not a competitive area, but is used for training, instruction and for warm ups during competition. The 14-foot deep diving well is equipped with two one-meter and two threemeter Duraform standards. Both maxi-flex and cheese boards are used at each height. The well also is equipped with a trampoline, spotting rig and port-a-pit. An eight-lane Olympic-size outdoor pool measuring 50 meters by 25 yards adjoins the McCoy Natatorium. Diving apparatus includes two one-meter and two three-meter springboards and a diving tower with one-, three-, five-, seven-point-five- and 10-meter platforms. The outdoor pool is used for training in September, October, late spring and summer. The facility is used for a variety of top national and local swimming and diving events and also serves as the home competition and training facility for the local swimming club program, Big Cat Aquatics. In the summer of 2004, Penn State announced a new $100 million fundraising campaign for Intercollegiate Athletics that will make a new swimming facility a top priority.