KHP Facilities and Equipment

The Biomechanics Lab at Cal Poly Pomona is the newest KHP state-of-the-art research facility housed in the Darlene May Gymnasium, Building 41, Room 16.

The Darlene May Gymnasium is named in honor of Darlene May who was the winningest coach in NCAA Division II Basketball history; it opened in 1996 and seats 500.

Coach May got the ball rolling for the Cal Poly Pomona women's basketball program and guided the Broncos to a 519-119 overall record and three NCAA Division II titles in 1982, 1985 and 1986. The Broncos also finished second in the nation three times and took third once during her tenure. May retired after the 1993-94 season, concluding a remarkable 20-year career. She averaged nearly 26 wins per season, NEVER had a losing season and won more than 20 games in each of her final 19 seasons.

Darlene May served as Head Women's Basketball Coach at Cal Poly Pomona for years (1974-1994). She was a no-nonsense, tenacious leader who guided her teams to three Division II National Championships.

Coach May's first assignment at Cal Poly was to build the team she inherited into a winner, at least at the local level. Of course, she accomplished much more than that, ending the first season at 16-6 and ranked fifth in the nation. That first season set the tone for what was to come.

The Broncos won their first National Championship in 1982. Coach May added two more national titles in 1985 and 1986, placed second nationally in 1983, 1987, and 1989, as well as finishing third in the nation in 1990. She coached 16 All-Americans, four of whom were named Division II National Players of the Year.

Coach May was forced to retire following the 1994 season after being diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. The campus gymnasium where her dynasty began was renamed "Darlene May Gymnasium" in January 1996. She passed away on November 15, 1996.

Coach May leaves a legacy that may never be equaled; a winning percentage of .813, an overall win/loss record of 519-119, and a conference record of 199-8 (96 percent). At the time of her death, she was the winningest coach in Division II history.

In June 1999, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. Former head coach Paul Thomas and former assistant Barb Thaller-Fulton attended the induction ceremony. Coach May's mother was present to accept the award. During the 1999-2000 season, the Broncos visited the Hall of Fame while traveling in Tennessee. It was a very special time for all the players and coaches.

Coach May's legacy and memory live on in her players of the past, and in the players and coaches at Cal Poly today. Each year the women's basketball team participates in a cancer walk at the City of Hope in Duarte, Calif., to support others who are fighting a battle against breast cancer. The City of Hope is where Coach May received her treatments. Each fall, one deserving player is awarded the $1000 Darlene May Memorial Scholarship.

The Exercise Science Lab is housed in 43-107. This lab is primarily utilized for instruction in exercise science courses, such as Exercise Physiology and Exercise Testing and Prescription. The lab is equipped with two ParvoMedics metabolic testing systems, treadmill and Monark LC7 cycle ergometers, two Monark Peak Bikes with computer integration, 12-lead ECG testing system, Biodex isokinetic dynamometer, BodPod Body Composition analyzer, and equipment for basic health and exercise testing and screening.

Opened in 1967, the Kellogg Gymnasium was built for $3 million, and it is the primary home of the powerful Bronco (NCAA Division II) Basketball teams, and seats 4,765.

Located in Building 41, Room 11, the Mind and Heart Research Lab aims to empower people to improve their total wellbeing by training and strengthening their emotional wellbeing. Emotional health is a necessary, and often an overlooked component in an integrated approach to wellness in today’s world. The goal of Mind and Heart is to educate people about the damaging effects of unmanaged stress, provide training to reduce stress and improve emotional stability and resilience, and conduct research to provide data for the development of effective stress management and emotional resilience programs.

Please visit the Mind and Heart Research Lab website for more information and resources.

The Musculoskeletal Research Laboratories (MRL) are comprised of two distinct lab spaces, 43-108B and 43-109.

The 43-108B lab is a wet lab for biochemical and molecular analyses of human tissue. The purpose of the lab is to investigate molecular aspects of exercise adaptations on both normal and pathological functions in cardiovascular and skeletal muscle physiology. Some of the equipment includes state-of-the-art instruments of cellular and molecular biology analysis such as cell culture cabinet and incubator, water baths, autoclave machine, refrigerator, two freezers -20° C and -80° C, icemaker, spectrophotometer, and polymerase chain reaction machine.

43-109 is the applied arm of the MRL and houses a Hologic Discovery Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) machine for comprehensive body composition and bone health assessments. There are licensed DXA technicians who utilize the DXA machine for research and at times teaching.

The purpose of the Motor Development Clinic is to 1) develop and improve motor skills; 2) increase movement behavior (i.e., cooperation, attention, participation, social skills); and 3) provide movement experiences that are accessible and within a positive environment.

The academic school year program operating September through May concentrates on breaking down motor skills into basic components, which are addressed through proper teaching techniques, demonstrations, and skill feedback. The summer program focuses on the enjoyment of movement in a social setting that is more general by providing a chance for the children to put into practice what they have learned during the school year. It also concentrates on a wide variety of activities including but not limited to fitness skills, rhythms/dance, locomotor and manipulative skills, sport skills, games, and swimming skills.

Please visit the Motor Development Clinic website for more information and resources. 

The Motor Neuroscience Laboratory consists of a team of undergraduate and graduate students using applied biomechanics, kinesiology, and neuroscience concepts to answer relevant research questions, using applied tech like BioDex, OpenCap software, and electromyography. Please visit the Motor Neuroscience Laboratory website for contact information as well as current and past research.