The University of Mississippi Athletics
Gillom Athletics Performance Center
In the spring of 1996, ground was broken for the construction of a new multi-sport facility, and in July 1997, the complex, the Gillom Athletics Performance Center, ushered in a new era in women’s athletics at Ole Miss.
The facility, which was built on the University’s intramural fields on Hathorn Road near Highway 6, is a metal structure with a brick front similar to other campus edifices. Right off the court are locker rooms and a team lounge and meeting room. The team meeting room and lounge provides the volleyball program with a place to congregate during non-practice times and can serve as a home away from home for the team. Athletes watch TV, study or play games, including a pool table in the volleyball team room.
On April 28, 2000, the complex was dedicated as the Gillom Center in honor of Rebel basketball legends Peggie and Jennifer Gillom. The Gillom sisters are the top two scorers in the history of the program.
The volleyball portion of the Gillom Center experienced upgrades prior to the 2010 season, with the playing court being moved and additional grandstand seating added to the facility. Chairback seating was added to the north side of the court behind the team benches to completely surround the playing surface with fans.
The facility recently underwent another extensive renovation that was completed in the summer of 2017. Updates to the facility included additions to the volleyball competition area, a weight room and training room and two video rooms for teams to watch film. The building houses offices and locker rooms for the rifle, soccer, softball and volleyball programs.
Over the years, the Gillom Center has become a tough venue on visiting teams thanks to a vocal and supportive fan base. The 2017 season saw a record 13,168 fans coming to the Gillom Athletics Performance Center, setting a single-season attendance record. In 2018, back-to-back at-capacity attendance records were set in Gillom. A staggering 1,057 fans were in attendance on October 19 vs. Florida, and then two days later, the record was broken again with 1,207 fans packed into Gillom to see Ole Miss pick up a 3-1 victory over in-state rival Mississippi State. In 2021, the Rebels once again raised the bar. Gillom was over full capacity as 1,251 fans piled in to cheer on Ole Miss, who took defending National Champions Kentucky to five sets before ultimately falling 2-3.
With the growth of the sport, Ole Miss has continued to roll out all the stops. In 2023, the Rebels debuted a new Taraflex court, providing an elite competition space for their student athletes. Ole Miss’ Taraflex court features a faux wood pattern outlined in the Rebels’ signature Powder Blue. For fans, new lighting effects for starting lineups and an additional concessions point of sale were also added to enhance the matchday experience.