By Jimmy Dominguez, Executive Editor
CSUDH’s new Health, Wellness and Recreation Center aims to deliver on some lofty promises when it opens during the 2026-2027 school year. The $85 million, 83,000-square-foot facility located on the south side of campus is expected to include multipurpose rooms, dance studios, two basketball courts and a rock climbing room.
The facility replaces the old Field House, which was once the site of the campus Athletic Performance Training Center. For many years, it was the place where Toro student-athletes would train to further hone their skills – for some, it was almost like a second home.
“I’ve been here for a long time. It’s kind of nostalgic that it’s not there anymore,” said senior guard Alex Garcia of the men’s basketball team. “I’m going to miss it a little because I had a lot of weight sessions there.”
With the grand opening of the Wellness Center almost two years out, the training center has relocated to a space between the baseball and soccer fields – a long walk from the Torodome Gymnasium. The space is currently shared by 10 different CSUDH teams.
Graduate center JT Tan, a 6-foot-8 transfer student from Lehigh University, told The Bulletin that sharing spaces is standard practice for college sports.
“It’s just a matter of being able to find those little time spots whether it’s late at night or early in the morning to get in,” Tan said.
The long travel to campus from the training center is a small price to pay for the future wellbeing of the Toro Nation, according to some students and faculty.
“It’s a farther walk down to the new weight room after practice while we’re already tired,” said junior point guard Jayden Winfrey of the men’s basketball team. “That’s one kind of con.”
“I think even though the new weight room is kind of a walk, it still helps us regardless,” said Tan. “It’s nice over there, not run down or anything. I think we’re in a good spot.”
On the other hand, Toros Athletics staff like Steve Becker and Teddi Esko, who coach the men’s basketball and women’s volleyball squads, respectively, told The Bulletin they are optimistic about the Wellness Center’s added value to the campus community.
“I think [the Wellness Center] has the opportunity to galvanize the community and give us the ability to have something on campus that everyone can be really proud of,” Becker said. “It gives [the campus] less of a commuter feel to it, and is a genuine investment in the kids academic experience.”
Esko echoed Becker’s perspective, saying wellness was necessary for the success of Toro student-athletes. “We have a hard-working group of talented women.”
Although the Field House was beloved by many members of the Toro Nation, many people on campus seem to be excited about the Wellness Center, especially as the university continues construction on new buildings for student housing and dining.
“It’s an exciting time for CSUDH – this is the beginning of something huge here,” said Thomas Balkcom, the senior associate athletics director and chief operations officer of Toros Athletics. “I see this as a unifying project … an actual game changer for CSUDH and this Carson community.”
