Joseph L. Alioto Recreation Center

10th Anniversary Celebration

Joseph L. Alioto Recreation Center

Celebrating Ten Years of Community

2015–2025

One decade into the opening of the recreation center, we are celebrating ten years of community. This milestone is not just about the services and program offered, but the connections fostered and the lives we've enriched through the experiences in our SMC Community. We look forward to many more years of fun, wellness, and togetherness as we toast to ten years.

We invite your to celebrate with us.

Thursday, March 6 | 3–6 p.m.


Blend a Smoothie by Riding a Bike	Make Spin Art by Pedaling	DIY your SMC Beach Towel

Donate | Your Support Allows Us to Continue Offering Programs & Services

Over one million visits to the recreation center

Cameron Wiggins '18 — **Cameron Wiggins ’18, MA ’19** worked as the Club Sport Coordinator while attending SMC for his undergraduate and graduate degrees.

some of my favorite memories as a student, an employee and with my friends happened in the building and working for campus recreation" - Cameron Wiggins '18 MA'19

Tsianna Crooks-Backus ‘23 — **Tsianna Crooks-Backus ’23** worked as the Reservation and Membership Student Coordinator during her time attending SMC.

Looking Back at the Building Construction

Construction began November 2013 and was completed March 2015

Opening day of the Joseph L. Alioto Recreation Center was on Sunday, March 8, 2015 at 10:00am.

After several months of vertical construction, the steel skeleton of the new Joseph L. Alioto Recreation Center is taking shape. Director of Athletics and Recreational Sports, Mark Orr, gives an update on the progress, purpose, and opening date of the new Rec Center.

The Joseph L. Alioto Recreation Center is on track to open in the spring of 2015. There is excitement all over campus — among students, faculty and staff — as the entire Saint Mary’s community eagerly anticipates the opening of what will be “the social hub of the campus.”

"A Saint Mary’s education doesn’t end in the classroom. The new Recreation Center is a critical component in providing students with a whole-person education, educating the mind, body and spirit. As you can see from the video, it is going up quickly. The structural steel framing is complete and the exterior walls are underway, and the Center will be completed in the spring of 2015". Videography | Editor - Carlos Torres

March 8, 2025, the doors opened to SMC Students and with a special request from the class of 2015, they were the first to enter. Students dropped in all day to enjoy the amenities and services in the state of the art facility and we captures a few students who were the "First Ever" in a few pre-planned locations. Michelle Conway '17 (pictured above) was the first to shoot hoops in the double gym.

The recreation center is designed to support both physical fitness and mental well-being, offering spaces for individual workouts, team sports, and social interaction. For students who live on campus, the proximity of the facility is an added connivence to their on-campus living experience and allows for this amenity to be at their door step. Students who live close or near to campus often use the facility rest, eat, recreate and workout in between classes and social engagements.

"The Joseph L. Alioto Recreation Center is a shared space where Brothers, faculty, students, and staff can come together, interact, and connect in a way that’s different from the usual classroom or office setting. It’s a place where relationships can form naturally, and you see each other in a whole new context. The variety of activities it offers makes it unique—you can enjoy a friendly game of pick-up basketball with friends, or, if you prefer solitude, you can pop in your AirPods and lose yourself in your music. It's a versatile environment that allows for both community and personal time. What really stands out to me is how it embodies excellence—it's always clean, well-organized, and thoughtfully maintained, which creates an atmosphere of respect and care."

-Peter Alter - Ph.D., BCBA-D Kalmanovitz School of Education

In the Fall of 2015, our commnity competitng in a nation wide bike challenge against other colleges and univeristies called Fall Frenzy. This event was over a 4 week period that totaled up the miles from each participant. SMC road past the competition and completed10,595 miles. This event was a great way to bring the SMC students, faculty an staff together — In the Fall of 2015 SMC road past the competition and completed 10,595 miles to win the final round of Fall Frenzy Nation Wide Bike Competition.

"I just wanted to thank you (and probably other folks) for all your hard work in making the Fall Frenzy a success. It isn't just that we won, but a lot of people from all across campus (including myself) had a great time competing for the college. It was a strange mix of student, faculty and staff that came together and took something pointless (in a nice way) and made it awesome."
-Chris Jones, Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science and Bike Participant.

Facility Amenities

60,000-square-foot Recreation Facility located in the front of campus.	Functional Training Room with spacious aspects along with boxing area and free weights.	Swimming Pool with 10 lap lanes, diving board and shallow end.
13,800-square-foot Fitness Area with state-of-the-art equipment including a variety of cardio, free weights and stacked cable weight machines.	Group Exercise Room with hardwood floors and wall to wall mirrors.	Hydrotherapy Spa heated all year long to provide relaxation and rejuvenation
Double Gymnasium and Single Gymnasium (basketball, volleyball, indoor soccer, badminton, pickle ball).	Spin Room & Isolated weight equipment allows for enclosed workouts and a multitude of bikes to cater to spin classes and group exercise.	Climbing Wall features two auto-belay lanes and three top-rope lanes as well as the newly added activity of bouldering.
Club Sports home base serving 15 sports with over 375 athletes	Sports Medicine Facility for injury care and recovery for Club Sports.