Adapted athletics at The University of Alabama is nationally recognized. Here is what you need to know.
1. Stran-Hardin Arena is the first of its kind.
A $10 million facility completed in 2018, it is the nation’s first collegiate facility specially designed for athletes with disabilities, with an NCAA regulation-sized basketball court in an 11,500 square-foot gymnasium, as well as a workout space, coaches’ offices, meeting rooms and more. And in 2021, UA’s Parker-Haun Tennis Facility opened, the only collegiate tennis facility in the U.S. for adapted student-athletes, another first for collegiate adapted sports.
2. Para track and field is the newest program.
UA’s para track and field program started in August of 2023 and hosted their first track meet on campus on May 17. Coached by UA alumnus Evan Williams, the team currently has seven athletes. Lead thrower Dani Kanas, a sophomore from Lutz, Florida, is a 2024 national champion for USA Para Track and Field in the Javelin F46 Classification. She will be competing for a spot on Team USA at the 2025 USATF Para National Championships from July 31 to Aug. 2.
3. Women’s basketball rules.
The women’s wheelchair basketball team’s recent national championship win is their fifth consecutive national title, and, for those keeping track, the 11th one in program history. Ryan Hynes coaches, having played in the first men’s championship team in 2013.
4. Players are (inter)national.
Adapted athletics boasts six national team members: four from Team USA, one from Great Britain, and two from France. They host 34 athletes from six different countries — United States, Great Britain, France, Australia, Italy and India.
5. All they do is win.
Adapted athletics has won 23 national championships so far over four programs. Most recently, the women’s wheelchair basketball team defeated the University of Texas at Arlington, 67-52. The current seniors on the team have never lost a championship game, rounding out their five years of play with five rings.
Additionally, the wheelchair tennis team won in April and defeated Auburn 2-0. Francesco Felici won the single national championship, team national championship, and rookie of the year.