The University of San Diego has long held a reputation for having one of the most beautiful campuses in the country.
On an appropriately bright and sunny Tuesday afternoon, that status was enhanced with the unveiling of the $35 million Basketball Performance Center, a state-of-the-art facility designed to elevate a pair of programs coming off rough seasons while navigating the increasingly competitive world of NCAA Division I college basketball.
Steve Lavin, entering his fourth season guiding the men’s program, and Blanche Alverson, just starting her first year leading the women’s, met with the media and expressed similar, excited feelings about the new digs.
“My immediate reaction was that I was completely blown away,” said Alverson, who is replacing Cindy Fisher after Fisher guided the women’s program for 20 years and finished 7-24 last season. “Coach Lavin made the point as well that this is the best facility either of us has been a part of. … To be able to have a standalone practice facility where everything is here in one place, I think that separates us. It shows the overall investment USD is willing to make into our programs.”
The building has been three years in the making, sits at the heart of campus adjacent to the new Wellness Center — a sports and recreation facility for the general student body — and is a short walk from the Jenny Craig Pavilion where the Toreros play games.
It’s an approximately 28,000-square-foot building featuring a full-length basketball court with a viewing terrace, an adjacent side court, a strength and conditioning room, a sports medicine and hydrotherapy facility, locker rooms and lounges for players, a nutrition center, a film room and men’s and women’s basketball offices.
An extra perk: those coaches’ offices have an adjacent balcony with breathtaking views of Tecolote Canyon and Mission Bay.
Players will have 24/7 access, meaning a gym rat can get shots up or hit a weight training session anytime they want.
“It’s a game-changer,” said Lavin, whose program is facing a massive roster overhaul following a 6-27 season. “We couldn’t be happier. It’s already making a difference in both of our programs. Recruiting as well as with the returning players. They know the difference, see the difference, can feel the difference. Every single recruit — prospects and their families — were impressed with this elite facility. As Blanche said, it’s a statement that represents the commitment of the University of San Diego to athletics particularly as well as men’s and women’s basketball.”
Prior to last season, USD made upgrades to 25-year-old Jenny Craig Pavilion, adding a state-of-the-art video board, an enhanced sound system and refurbished locker rooms.
On April 16, the school launched SanDiegoNIL.com where donations can be made to The Torero Fund and businesses, donors and fans can get involved with the athletic department’s Name, Image and Likeness department.
Athletic director Kimya Massey stepped into his position in March of 2024 when ground was being broken on the new project and sees the Basketball Performance Center as an essential component to uplifting a pair of programs that will be competing in a West Coast Conference facing a major transition.
Longtime men’s basketball powerhouse Gonzaga, along with Washington State and Oregon State, will depart for the new Pac-12 in 2026. Seattle University and Grand Canyon are ing the WCC for 2025-26.
The BPC will take over for the aging Sports Center, which has served as an auxiliary gym for both programs while also hosting intramural sports and other activities since Jenny Craig was completed in 2000.
Going from the Sports Center — where the Toreros once played games — to the BPC is like stepping into a new century.
“This was necessary,” Massey said. “The Sports Center’s great — a lot of history — but not up to par to compete with who we have to compete with. Not just in our conference but nationally. Now having this? So, great foresight on the part of the school’s leadership. It shows real commitment.”
