Massachusetts's campuses and the stories they hold.
The Story
Springfield College trained the YMCA's gym directors, and some of them changed sport. Basketball was invented here in 1891, a graduate went on to invent volleyball, and an instructor coined the term "body building." The college still teaches by the "spirit, mind and body" triangle Luther Gulick drew in 1889, and it is a leading source of physical therapists, athletic trainers, coaches and physical educators. Its campus sits on the shore of Watershops Pond in Springfield.
About this site
Springfield College is a college & university in Springfield, Hampden County. It is one of 8 colleges & universities documented in Hampden County, among 3,815 historic sites cataloged across the county on MassRoam.
The site sits at 42.1022, -72.5567 near Springfield. The nearest cataloged historic site is Water Shops Armory Main Storehouse (landmark), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Water Shops Armory Storehouse Addition, Water Shops Armory Bridge, and Water Shops Armory Forge Building.
This record is drawn from MassRoam. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
What makes Springfield College different
In 1920 the International Olympic Committee awarded Springfield its Olympic Cup for contributions to athletics and clean sport. The college says it is the only college ever to receive the honor. springfield.edu
Gymnasium instructor Robert J. Roberts coined the term "body building" here in 1887. The college calls him the founder of the fitness movement. springfield.edu
In 1933 Ted Shawn formed America's first all-male modern dance company from Springfield College students. The group went on to found the Jacob's Pillow dance festival in the Berkshires. springfield.edu
Martin Luther King Jr. gave the commencement address on June 14, 1964, and received an honorary Doctor of Humanics, despite outside efforts to get the college to withdraw the invitation. springfield.edu
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame first opened on the Springfield College campus in 1968, before it moved to downtown Springfield. springfield.edu
Springfield's women's gymnastics team won the first intercollegiate national championship in the sport in 1969, and two of the next three. en.wikipedia.org
Archie Allen Field, opened in 2017 with the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, is built for both intercollegiate and adaptive baseball. Cal Ripken Jr. cut the ribbon. springfield.edu
Detroit Publishing Company / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
History
Springfield College is a private university best known as the birthplace of basketball, which instructor and graduate student James Naismith invented on campus in 1891. The school was founded in 1885 as the YMCA department of the School for Christian Workers, later becoming the International Young Men's Christian Association Training School and adopting the name Springfield College in 1954. Its guiding 'Humanics' philosophy emphasizes educating students in spirit, mind, and body for service to others. Alumnus William G. Morgan also invented volleyball after his time at the college.
The college opened in 1885 with 18 students in Winchester Square. Founder David Allen Reed's school charged no tuition, and meals cost about $3 a week. Its gymnasium staff were remarkable: Robert J. Roberts, Luther Halsey Gulick and James Naismith all taught there in its first decade. The school awarded its first degree, a Bachelor of Humanics, to William H. J. Beckett in 1906. Former President William Howard Taft spoke at the dedication of the Marsh Memorial Library in 1913.
As the International YMCA College, it trained physical directors for YMCAs and schools around the world. Physiologist Peter Karpovich joined the faculty in 1927, and in 1933 Ted Shawn formed his all-male modern dance company from Springfield students. In 1939 Life magazine called the college the source of "physical directors for the nation." It took the name Springfield College in 1954. Martin Luther King Jr. gave the 1964 commencement address despite outside pressure on the college to withdraw the invitation.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame first opened on the campus in 1968 before moving downtown. Faculty member Mimi Murray testified to Congress on Title IX, and alumnus Tom Waddell founded the Gay Games in 1982. A tornado struck the campus on June 1, 2011, but the damaged International Hall was restored before classes resumed that fall. Under President Mary-Beth A. Cooper the college opened the Harold C. Smith Learning Commons (2017) and the Brown Cooper Health Sciences Center (2023).
#40 of 584 colleges for physical therapy — Niche, 2025source
#326 on the Northeast list of Best Colleges for Your Tuition and Tax Dollars — Washington Monthly, 2026source
Majors & programs
Springfield has three schools: Arts and Sciences; Physical Education, Performance, and Sport Leadership; and Health Sciences. It is best known for the health and movement professions, such as physical therapy, athletic training, exercise science, physician assistant studies and physical education. It also offers business, psychology, social work, criminal justice and data science, with master's and doctoral programs on campus and online.
Known for
Physical Therapy
Niche ranked Springfield #40 of 584 colleges for physical therapy in 2025. Qualified students move from a health science B.S. straight into the CAPTE-accredited Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
Known for
Athletic Training and Strength & Conditioning
The Master of Science in Athletic Training is accredited by CAATE. Alumni have run strength and conditioning for NFL teams, including the head strength coaches of both Super Bowl XLI teams.
Known for
Physical Education
Physical education has been taught here since 1887, when the school added a physical education department. Peter Karpovich, who taught physiology here from 1927, was a founder of the American College of Sports Medicine.
Known for
Physician Assistant Studies
An ARC-PA-accredited program that marked its 30th anniversary at Springfield. Students can start as first-year undergraduates on a combined bachelor's and master's track.
Known for
Coaching and sport leadership
Graduates include Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo and Tony DiCicco, who coached the U.S. women to the 1999 World Cup title.
All degree programs at Springfield College (3)
School of Arts and Sciences
Majors include biology, psychology, criminal justice, communications and creative media, computer science, data science, business management, finance, social work and history · BA, BS, MS, MSW
School of Physical Education, Performance, and Sport Leadership
Physical education, health and physical education, sport management, applied exercise science, movement and sports studies, and recreation and therapeutic recreation · BS, MS, MEd, DPE
School of Health Sciences
Health science (pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy and pre-physician assistant), athletic training, public health, and communication sciences and disorders · BS, MS, DPT
James Naismith — inventor of basketball, which he created at the college in 1891 as an instructor and graduate student en.wikipedia.org
William G. Morgan — inventor of volleyball (class of 1894) en.wikipedia.org
Amos Alonzo Stagg — college football pioneer who coached Springfield in 1890–91 before building national champions at the University of Chicago; Stagg Field is named for him en.wikipedia.org
Steve Spagnuolo — NFL defensive coordinator with three Super Bowl wins, and former head coach of the St. Louis Rams (class of 1982) en.wikipedia.org
Tony DiCicco — head coach of the U.S. women's national soccer team that won the 1999 World Cup en.wikipedia.org
Jeff Blatnick — 1984 Olympic gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling en.wikipedia.org
Tom Waddell — Olympic decathlete and physician who founded the Gay Games (class of 1959) en.wikipedia.org
Rocky Aoki — founder of the Benihana restaurant chain en.wikipedia.org
Stacy Sims — exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist known for research on women athletes (G'97) en.wikipedia.org
Where graduates work
97% of Springfield's 2024–25 bachelor's degree recipients were employed or enrolled in graduate school. That's Springfield College's own figure, published on its About and career outcomes pages. Healthcare, education, human services, sports and fitness, and business are the top fields graduates enter. The employers below are named on the college's career outcomes page. springfield.edu
Baystate Medical CenterMass General BrighamBeth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHartford HospitalConnecticut Children's Medical CenterShriners Children's New EnglandESPNMLB NetworkNew York GiantsDetroit LionsCleveland CavaliersNew Jersey DevilsDraftKingsFidelity InvestmentsEYBank of AmericaAmazonSpringfield Public Schools
Springfield College Men's Volleyball Postgame Press Conference - 2026 National Champions! · Springfield CollegeYMCA War Work exhibit at the Springfield College Museum · Springfield CollegeSpringfield College 2025 Peter V. Karpovich Lecture - Stacy Sims, PhD, G’97 · Springfield CollegeThe Springfield College Humanics Philosophy · Springfield College
Was basketball really invented at Springfield College?
Yes. James Naismith, an instructor and graduate student, created the game at the college in December 1891. The first game was played between faculty and students, and the students won 5–1.
What is Springfield College known for?
Physical therapy, athletic training, exercise science, physical education, physician assistant studies and coaching. Its Humanics philosophy aims to educate the whole person in spirit, mind and body.
How big is Springfield College?
NCES counted 2,599 students on the main campus in Fall 2024: 1,763 undergraduates and 836 graduate students. Its regional and online division enrolled another 380.
What division is Springfield College?
NCAA Division III. Most Pride teams play in NEWMAC, including football. Men's volleyball, an independent, has won six NCAA Division III titles, most recently in 2026.
Is the Basketball Hall of Fame at Springfield College?
Not anymore. It opened on campus in 1968 and later moved to downtown Springfield, a short drive away.
What is Humanics?
Springfield's founding philosophy of educating students in spirit, mind and body for leadership in service to others. Luther Gulick's triangle emblem, which the college still uses, represents it.
Who is the president of Springfield College?
Mary-Beth A. Cooper. Under her leadership the college opened the Harold C. Smith Learning Commons in 2017 and the Brown Cooper Health Sciences Center in 2023.
Did Martin Luther King Jr. speak at Springfield College?
Yes. He gave the commencement address on June 14, 1964, and received an honorary Doctor of Humanics.
The self-guided Springfield College campus tour tells the story of each landmark as you reach it (2.7 mi · walking · ~1h 26m · 4 stops). It's included with MassRoam+, alongside 82,000+ Massachusetts historic sites on one live map.
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