Cal student-athletes wrapped up the fall semester last week with final examinations and papers, and finding the best conditions for these hard-working young women and men was of utmost importance. Getting enough sleep and having the right diet is a must, but perhaps most important is being in the right environment. With the recent opening of the Student-Athlete Study Lounge in Haas Pavilion, student-athletes are now provided with an additional facility to be at their best academically, as well as athletically.

The Student-Athlete Study Lounge occupies approximately 1,059 square feet just inside the east entrance on the main floor of Haas Pavilion. The space, formerly occupied by the Athletic Ticket Office, now contains high-tables, countertops, chairs and Wi-Fi capabilities, similar to that of the student-athlete study room located in the Simpson Center for Student-Athlete High Performance. With over half of Cal's athletic programs housed in and around Haas Pavilion on the west end of campus, this new space only furthers the high performance culture and mindset of Cal's athletic department.

"When we talk about giving student-athletes a holistic experience, how are we allowing them to study, train, eat, condition, and recover in a functional and convenient way - this was the optimal use of this space in this facility," Cal Senior Associate Athletic Director Ashwin Puri said.

The Athletic Ticket Office was relocated earlier in 2016 to a functional space adjacent to California Memorial Stadium.

The feedback from student-athletes thus far has been tremendously positive.

"It's been extremely helpful because all of our facilities are now (in Haas)," said Cal freshman Chloe Hansel, a member of the Golden Bears' cross country team. "I can go straight from practice and working out, and if I have 30 minutes before my rehab appointment in the training room, I now can come here to study. It's really quiet and I study really well here."

The lounge has also proven to be a place for student-athletes from sports who generally do not encounter one another very often to come together.

"This study center in Haas provides an alternate setting - a nice change of pace," said sophomore Justin Dunn of the football team, who added he previously did his studies only at the Simpson Center. "The change of scenery is accommodating and helps creativity and success. Being able to go to both spaces allows you to interact with different student-athletes and allows you to have a broader community of support."

The space in Haas also serves as the Courtside Club on game days for men's and women's basketball.

"As we look at maximizing all of our spaces, this allowed us to deliver a student-athlete welfare piece, and on game nights we had a need for additional hospitality space," Puri said. "It serves a nice dual role."

The project, which along with the transformation of the space to the Student-Athlete Study Lounge also included a new student section of bleachers and a second row of courtside seats, was completely funded through the sale of the second row of courtside seats as well as a loan provided by the UC Berkeley Operational Excellence program.