Mission
University Recreation empowers every body and mind to lead active, healthy and balanced lives every day and strive for personal growth throughout and beyond their time at UNC Charlotte.
Facility(s) Description
The centerpiece of our facilities is the University Recreation Center — a five floor, 148,000-square-foot facility that opened in January 2020. This state-of-the-art facility features a four court gymnasium, elevated running track, expansive cardio and strength training spaces, indoor artificial turf functional training space, indoor and outdoor pools, five studios — one for mind and body, one for cycling and three multipurpose — and a demonstration kitchen.
Complementing the University Recreation Center is Belk Gymnasium, which was renovated in 2016 and features three multipurpose hardwood courts, a fitness center, two multipurpose studios, two racquetball courts and the Roy R. Fielding Aquatic Center — a 25-yard by 25-meter pool that reaches 13 feet at its maximum depth.
Outdoor recreation facilities include two major field complexes that serve various sports and activities. The Northeast Recreational Field Complex (NRFC), which opened in 2011, features over 15 acres of synthetic turf fields designed for a variety of sports and activities. The Hayes Field Complex, also opened in 2011, contains three recreation fields — two natural grass fields (Fields 11 and 12) and one synthetic turf field (Field 13). Additional outdoor amenities include the Calisthenic Outdoor Recreation Equipment (CORE), providing diverse options for outdoor fitness and recreation.
Programming Highlights
- Nearly 70 group fitness classes every week with nearly 25,000 annual participants.
- More than 1,400 personal training sessions are completed each year.
- 38 sports clubs, including the 2024 national championship disc golf club.
- 600 intramural teams each year with soccer, basketball and flag football being the most popular and a quickly growing pickleball league.
- Signature events throughout the year, including RecFest and Aqua Cinema in August, Polar Plunge in January and the Gold Rush 5K in February.
Fun Facts
- UREC indoor facilities see more than 750,000 facility visits annually — including students, alumni, faculty, staff, dependents and UNC Charlotte business affiliates.
- A recent impact study conducted by Student Affairs Research and Assessment showed that students who participate in UREC activities at least 3 times a week have a 0.20 higher GPA than other UNC Charlotte students.
- We have had a long-standing relationship with the Special Olympics, hosting Unified Sports leagues on campus and serving as the host site for the North Carolina Special Olympics Fall Tournament.
- UNC Charlotte partners with the United States Performance Center, an organization that provides residency training programs to 18 Olympic and Paralympic sports, many of which practice in REC facilities; UNC Charlotte and UREC facilities will also be utilized for the 2027 World Military Games that will be held in Charlotte.
- Charlotte will host the 2025 NIRSA Region II Conference in October and UNC Charlotte will be offering tours of UREC facilities, which will include the new EGYM space in the UREC.
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