Because it enables simultaneous practices, games and fitness activities, Penner Field House is already making its mark on campus, said Vice President for Athletics and Recreation M. Grace Calhoun.

“It’s quickly becoming a wonderful shared space where students from across the Brown community are coming together — to train, to play and to build routines around staying active,” Calhoun said.

For students stepping inside for the first time, the initial impression has been one of scale, energy and possibility.

“As soon as I walked into the field house, I noticed the smell of new turf and was shocked by how big the facility truly was,” said first-year student Meghan Royal, who officiates intramural games. “Even though I could tell it was large from the outside, the inside completely blew me away.”

Students said each detail feels intentional and welcoming, reflecting how the space was created not just for athletics competition, but community.

“Honestly, I love everything about the design,” Okonye said. “One of my favorite features is the big bear mural with the word ‘Together’ on the wall in the lifting room.”

Elevating varsity performance, expanding intramural opportunities

Varsity coaches, too, say the facility addresses longstanding challenges created by New England weather — from winter snow or summer lightning storms — and gives teams the consistent access they need to train, develop and compete at a higher level. Before the field house opened, teams frequently adjusted schedules or shortened sessions.

“We’ve been recruiting off this facility since it was first announced, and it’s already had a real impact,” Football Head Coach James Perry said. “Since it opened, we’ve worked out there multiple times, and the improvements we’re seeing in speed and skill development are very real.”

For the varsity baseball team, winter training once meant relying heavily on the Olney-Margolies Athletic Center, a space that posed some limitations due to its size and layout. But Penner Field House immediately changed that, said Head Coach Frank Holbrook.

“It allows us to practice elements of our game that simply can’t be simulated in a traditional indoor space,” Holbrook said. “It’s the closest thing to being outside on our field, and practicing on a surface that replicates game conditions is extremely important for us. Defensively, it should give us a real advantage compared to other cold-weather programs.”

Beyond varsity athletics, club sports and recreational participants say the facility has eased crowded schedules and created more reliable opportunities to train and play.

As an intramural sports official, Royal finds herself at the field house several times a week and says the optimism is palpable.

“The new facility will really improve intramural sports at Brown,” she said. “Registration was challenging because of space limitations, and this will allow more people to compete while also introducing new sports, like kickball.”

Kickball is one of four new intramural sports offered this spring, according to Deputy Director of Athletics and Recreation Ray Grant. Along with indoor soccer, kickball play began in early February, and flag football and handball will make their debut on March 30.

The additional space afforded by the Penner Field House is expected to support approximately 500 more intramural participants this semester alone. With further expansion planned for the fall, the University anticipates accommodating up to 1,000 additional participants over the 2026–27 academic year, Grant said.

Calhoun said the level of activity already taking place reflects Brown’s broader commitment to supporting physical activity and well-being across campus.

“We expect the field house to become even more central to campus life as more students explore the space,” she said. “We’re deeply grateful to the Penner family for making this beautiful facility possible.”