MARY E. MARS GYM

The LMU volleyball team plays all of its home matches in the historic Mary E. Mars Gymnasium, the home of LMU volleyball since the program came into existence in 1989. Since 1992 the Lady Railsplitters have compiled a 121-60 record, good for a .669 winning percentage in 15 seasons of play in the facility.

The new scoreboard.

Since the opening of the Turner Arena in 1991, the facility has been used almost exclusively by the volleyball team. Beginning in 2004, the facility has undergone extensive renovations including a new scoreboard, technology upgrades at the scorers table/press row, repairs to the locker rooms, new windows and new glass-door entrances.

The Annan Natatorium, built in the early 1950's is connected to the Mars Gym and is currently undergoing renovations as well.

The facility seats 1,500 spectators for athletic events, and houses offices and classrooms. Coach Mike Smith’s office was moved here in 2004 and is located next to the West entrance.

New to the Mars Gym is a state of the art weight room for use by the LMU students, faculty and staff.  Several classes are taught in the facility using both the court and classrooms located in the rear.  The J. Frank White Academy also uses the Mars Gym as their home basketball court.

The building now known as Mars Gym was originally a sports arena at Camp Forrest, an Army post and prisoner-of-war camp in Tullahoma, Tennessee, (now a part of Arnold Air Force Base known as the Arnold Engineering Development Center), from 1941-1946. One of the more famous people using the future Mars Gym during this period was General George S. Patton, who used the facility in 1941- 42 to help train the 2nd Armored Division. Later in the war Camp Forest was also used as a POW camp. After the war Camp Forrest was closed and the building was no longer in use.

In 1946, LMU began a $75,000 campaign for a new athletics facility and it was suggested that the Camp Forrest building be bought and moved to the campus. Click here for a copy of the campaign brochure (PDF file).  The building was renamed the Mary E. Mars Gymnasium after the mother of a former member of the Board of Trustees, Sam Mars Sr., and dedicated to all mothers everywhere. The Mars Gym was officially opened on November 29, 1948 in a basketball game which saw the Railsplitters fall 58-4 to the Tennessee Volunteers. In the1950's the Mary S. Annan Natatorium was added to the building. Mars Gym served as the home of the men’s and women’s basketball teams from 1948-1991.