The University of West Florida (UWF) hosted a groundbreaking ceremony on April 18 for the Sandy Sansing Sports Medicine Center, a new $6 million facility designed to enhance the quality of care for student-athletes.  

“UWF has always been a place for big dreamers, but those dreams would never be attainable without the steadfast support of our community and dedication of our employees,” UWF President Martha D. Saunders said. “Today we are one step closer to providing our student-athletes with optimal care, thanks to some special individuals who believed in the dream of the Sandy Sansing Sports Medicine Center.”  

The 10,000-square-foot facility will be added to the Darrell Gooden Center on UWF’s Pensacola campus. It will feature a treatment space, rehabilitation and physical therapy area, hydrotherapy areas, physician exam rooms, office spaces, academic center, computer lab and tutoring rooms.  

UWF graduate Sandy Sansing is giving back to his alma mater by gifting more than $600,000 to fund the center and student-athlete scholarships.  

“As a UWF graduate and former student-athlete, I am thrilled to be able to help make this facility happen for current and future Argonauts,” Sansing said. “We hope this new center helps with the health and wellness of all our future Argos and continues to help the University build champions for life.”  

Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC) is the architect and civil engineer for the sports medicine center. Additional project team members include Premier Engineering Group, Joe Dereuil Associates, Morette Company and Dell Consulting. The UWF athletics team has also partnered with Andrews Institute for Orthopedics & Sports Medicine on the design and necessary spaces for student-athletes and coaches.