STORRS, Conn. — A new locker room. Cold tubs in the training room. A sauna in the coaches office. A recruiting lounge equipped with XBox and PlayStation systems. Grab-and-go concession stands.
And outside, still under construction, the sign that ties it all together: “M&T Bank Center.”
Those are the headline additions from phase 1 of the renovation of Gampel Pavilion, now officially M&T Bank Center at Gampel Pavilion, which UConn unveiled to media on Friday, Oct. 23.
The upgrades touch nearly every corner of the building, from the spaces where athletes train and recover to the ones where recruits are courted and fans grab a bite. UConn athletic director David Benedict said he was proud to see it all finally come to fruition.
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“It’s rewarding,” Benedict said. “You want to have an impact, and you want to make sure that when you are spending dollars ... you want people to feel good about the investments that they're making. I don't think that there's any question that there's nobody that's going to walk through these spaces and feel like we didn't spend the dollars wisely and that we're going to get a great return on the investment for a long time to come.”
The biggest upgrade is the new locker room, which the men’s and women’s teams will share.
Views from the locker room:#UConnpic.twitter.com/LRlqDQnZr1
— Nathan Canilao (@nathancanilao) October 23, 2026
The details are what stand out. Above the lockers, an LED screen runs the length of the room, flashing each player’s headshot and name over their stall. TVs are mounted around the space. The chairs once sat in the Golden State Warriors’ locker room.
But the smaller touches might be more impressive. Each stall has a cup holder and a charging station carved in the shape of Connecticut. Etched in each chair is a the Huskies logo at the headrest.
Some pretty cool details. The chairs were formerly in the Golden State Warriors locker room two years ago and have been customized.#UConnpic.twitter.com/HEstBQdic2
— Nathan Canilao (@nathancanilao) October 23, 2026
“What we wanted when we took this on was to create something that is on the same level as our program success,” Benedict said. “To the individuals and the companies that we worked with to both design and construct this was we need something on that level. Collegiately that doesn't exist because there aren't two other programs that have a combined 18 national championships between the two of them.”
Among the other renovations in the arena were a new press conference room, that included a backlit LED lightbox that includes UConn’s logo and sponsors.
The coach's office also received a facelift, renovated to be a conference room-style space where coaching staffs would be able to watch film and discuss game plans across a meeting table. Coaches also have their own locker room that includes a sauna.
When UConn brings recruits on visits to Gampel, there will be a specialized room for them to relax and see all 18 national championship rings on display.
New coaches meeting room:#UConnpic.twitter.com/NgXo4deM7B
— Nathan Canilao (@nathancanilao) October 23, 2026
All of it comes with a new name, which some UConn fans were not happy about.
Benedict acknowledged that change isn’t always something easy for a building with this much history. He framed the rebranding as a matter of necessity.
“We have to generate revenue,” Benedict said. “And if we don’t, the alternative is we can continue to have old, outdated facilities. We can continue to show up in the wintertime and worry about the roof leaking or whether or not we’re going to even host a game and be embarrassed nationally. Or we can do things and take advantage of opportunities where people want to invest in what we’re doing.
Benedict said he understands what the old name means to people but also made clear that these steps are necessary in trying to build a national championship contender.
“The alternative is we choose not to do these things, and ultimately we won’t be competitive” Benedict said. "That’s just the realities of it. It’s not a scare tactic. It’s just the reality. So, either we want to remain competitive in what is a challenging environment, or we don’t.”
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: UConn unveils M&T Bank Center at Gampel Pavilion renovations