The J. Blacker Gym

North Florida Athletics is thrilled to officially announce another facility enhancement as the UNF Arena receives a new weight room with the addition of the J. Blacker Gym.

The gym, located in one of the renovated racquetball courts accessible via the UNF Arena lobby, includes state of the art strength and conditioning equipment. The J. Blacker Gym mirrors that used by the Orlando Magic and Dallas Mavericks of the NBA. The gym is open to all UNF athletics programs.

“We are absolutely ecstatic about the addition of a new weight training facility,” Assistant AD of Strength and Conditioning Brian Bert said. “With it conveniently located in the UNF Arena, it will be a great service for all of our student-athletes. Filled with top-of-the-line Sorinex, Keiser and Troy equipment, we are excited to start using it with our teams. Thank you to the Blacker Family for aiding in this project.”

The J. Blacker Gym was made possible by the generous donation of Julie Brazil, a 2003 graduate of the University of North Florida and co-founder of Gravity Diagnostics.

Featured Equipment in The Blacker Gym

4 Sorinex half racks with jammer arms (premium weightlifting/squat rack)
4 trap bars (for olympic lifts)
2 Keiser functional trainers (versatile cable machines used for a variety of lifts)
2 Vertimax (vertical jump training system)
Over 4,000 pounds of weights, from Sorinex bumper plates and Troy dumbbells with UNF branding
A variety of accessory equipment from Perform Better bands, medicine balls, plyo boxes, balance pads, BOSU balls and stability balls.

A unique feature to the gym, The J. Blacker Gym also includes a TV mounted on the wall for displaying data and strength and conditioning programs. It also features a full-sized backboard and hoop mounted in the middle of the room for a variety of sport-specific exercises.

“The entire UNF Athletics Department has received a huge upgrade with the creation of the J. Blacker Gym,” Director of Athletics Nick Morrow said. “The addition of the J. Blacker Gym not only provides the latest and greatest fitness equipment, but also alleviates the pressure on the Hodges Stadium weight room, which has accommodated all 19 teams and 300 student-athletes for many years. “I am so thankful to Julie for making this much-needed facility enhancement a reality.”