Administration

The Huber Center represents a key milestone for Vandy United — it is the first non-renovation project completed as part of the campaign, which began in 2021.

The second floor’s weight room is the “nicest” Byington has ever seen. It features a large variety of Vanderbilt Basketball branded equipment as well as a miniature turf field and a basketball hoop. 
“We got in [the Huber Center] around mid-December, still with construction, but we were just so excited to get in here,” Byington said. “I might have broken some codes [before then] coming in here, checking every day on construction without a hard hat, but I just couldn’t wait to get in here.”
Lee spoke afterward, echoing similar sentiments. She offered a special thanks to the Huber family for their contributions to the building’s creation. 
The dedication concluded with words from both of Vanderbilt’s basketball coaches. Ralph started. 
“As I like to say at Vanderbilt, we beat Harvard during the week and Tennessee on the weekends,” Diermeier said. 
“There’s a clear vision to the relentless commitment to maximizing our potential as human beings [at Vanderbilt],” Ralph said. “For me, that allows me to create this opportunity that I don’t think our student-athletes could experience anywhere else in the world.”
The first and third floors are mirror images, with a few exceptions. Byington’s office looks out over FirstBank Stadium while Ralph’s office overlooks the women’s practice court, allowing her to watch her team at all times. Both teams’ locker rooms have ping pong and pool tables, arcade games and pop-a-shots. Both locker rooms also have a film study room attached to them. 
Next door to the athletic training room is the sports medicine room. However, past the expected massage tables and exam rooms is the hydrotherapy suite, which houses a water treadmill, multiple heating/cooling tubs and a sensory deprivation pod.
Byington, who is in the midst of leading Vanderbilt Men’s Basketball to its best season since the 200s, echoed a similar sentiment.

Dumbbells in Vanderbilt’s weight room. as photographed on Jan. 24. 2025. (Hustler Multimedia/Ashley Hofflander)
“For every day we’ve been on this journey that we began nearly five years ago, we proclaimed the highest aspirations for Vanderbilt Athletics, and then set out to do what was necessary to bring that vision to life,” Lee said. “We would not have this beautiful building without the generous support of George and Cathy Huber.”

A view of Vanderbilt’s locker room, as photographed on Jan. 24. 2025. (Hustler Multimedia/Ashley Hofflander)
“When [Diermeier] and our truly amazing athletic director Candice Lee — who I’m fortunate to call a very good friend of mine — [asked] me to meet and see whether Cathy and I would be willing to give money to help with this, it was really easy to say yes.”
“Now we have the best of both worlds. We have a legendary, quirky, historic gym that gives us a home-court advantage like no other in the country,” Lee said. “[And] we have the best-equipped, uniquely-placed and visually-striking practice facility in America.”
“We launched Vandy United to reimagine the future of Vanderbilt Athletics and hold ourselves to the standard of excellence that guides us always,” Diermeier said. “The values of our coaches and student-athletes champion the values we hold dear at Vanderbilt; hard work and courage, continual growth, equal measures of challenge and support and selflessly coming together in pursuit of a greater common purpose.”
The Chancellor couldn’t resist a playful jab at Vanderbilt’s academic and athletic rivals. 

The Hubers spoke next, with George Huber emphasizing his family’s love for Vanderbilt, which came from their son’s attendance at the university.

Lee expressed her excitement about the combined charm of the Huber Center and the fabled Memorial Gymnasium.