In the past five years, the Simpson athletic facilities have undergone a major expansion and renovation. The process began with the opening of the Carse Fitness Center in 1996. The facility which is for use to Simpson students, athletes, faculty and Simpson Athletic Club members, was named in honor of Wayne (1950) and Jimmie Lou Carse.

The Carse Center is home to a variety of different facilities. The 5,000 square-foot weight room contains an 18-station circuit area around the perimeter, a 30 square-foot free weight area and a 750 square-foot dumbbell area. In addition to the weights, the weight room contains three treadmills, three stationary bikes, a stair stepping machine and a rowing machine. While working out, individuals are entertained by a 200 watt stereo system that completes the training facility.

The 4,000 square-foot Darrah Wrestling Room became the new home to Simpson's wrestling team. The room is complete with new mats protecting the floor and walls. The eight-inch padded floor enables the wrestling room to also be used for dance and aerobics, accommodating campus-wide interests.

Two regulation racquetball courts, Hubbell Court and Kent Court, are also included in the new wing. The two courts can also be set up for walleyball, which was incorporated into the intramural program last year.

To ensure the facilities are being used in the proper fashion, Simpson installed a security system active with surveillance cameras to record all activity in the building. This system allows the facility manager access to any misconduct within the building and helps monitor peak activity throughout the day, week and month.

The Cowles Center prides itself on being a multipurpose athletic and physical education facility. The Cowles Fieldhouse was expanded during the summer of 1998. The area was expanded in order to house a 160-meter track. With the extension of the area, indoor batting cages are easily accessible for the Simpson baseball and softball teams. A new wood floor was purchased for basketball and with its arrangement, up to 3,000 fans can be accommodated in the fieldhouse.

Additional Cowles features include a 25-meter swimming pool, sauna, sun deck, men's and women's locker rooms, training rooms, physical education classrooms and the main athletic office. A new filter system and liner was installed in the swimming pool during the summer of 1997, upgrading the quality of the pool used for not only the women's swim team, but for numerous rehabilitation and practice sessions for all sports.

Adjacent to Cowles stands Hopper Gymnasium, a building dedicated in 1912 which now serves as a practice and intramural facility. Hopper has a basketball court, overhead running track and offices for coaches. A new Mondo surface was placed on the running track in December 1996 before the men's and women's track teams began their indoor training season, allowing for additional space when winter and spring sports overlap.

The Hopper structure, which had not been touched since its construction, underwent a major renovation which spanned from the fall of 1997 to the summer of 1998. New men's and women's locker rooms, including a total of nearly 300 new lockers were built. Also added were coaches' and women officials' locker room. A new training room was established and placed within the training center, as well as additional improvements in existing offices. The entire building was wired for new computer access.

Simpson's outdoor athletic facilities allow student-athletes the opportunity to excel in football, softball, baseball, track and field, soccer, tennis and/or golf. Bill Buxton Stadium is the home for Storm football and soccer. The Stadium was remodeled with a state-of-the-art playing surface (Astro-Play), and an eight-lane running track during the Summer of 2001. Bill Buxton Stadium is now able to host football, soccer, and track events. In addition to a remodeled press box, the stadium received a new concession stand and bathroom facilities which were opened in time for the 1997 season.

The six Richard Buxton Memorial Tennis Courts are located on the northwest side of campus, bordering Simpson's McBride Baseball Field and the Simpson Softball Complex, home of the 1997, and 1999 NCAA Division III national championship softball teams. McBride Baseball Field was named in honor of former President Robert E. McBride who helped Simpson embark on a new era of athletics. Both McBride Field and Simpson Softball Complex received new press boxes which contain concession stands during the Spring of 2000.