A new weight room for the College's intercollegiate athletes opened this week, to enthusiastic approval of administrators and students alike.

Athletic Director William J. Cleary '56 said yesterday the new weight room was long overdue.

"Every year, the number one request from all athletes, both men and women, is a weight room," he said.

Rachel A. Burke '93, captain of the field hockey team, called the new facility "impressive."

Edward G. Owen '93, the men's swim team captain, said the new facility is cleaner, spacious, less crowded and more organized.

"It's wonderful," he said. "It's great because all the equipment is new and it's going to be strictly limited to intercollegiate athletes so any person just can't wander in."

Assistant Director of Operations Gregory J. Garber said the new policy would put Harvard on par with other schools.

"It's something we felt was necessary for the development of our intercollegiate athletes," Garber said. "Our weight training facilities previously paled in comparison, not only to Division I NCAA schools, but to other schools in the Ivy League."

The new facility, which primarily contains free weights, is located in Carey Cage, next to the Blodgett Pool. Access to the new facility is limited to Harvard University intercollegiate athletes, including varsity, junior varsity and first-year teams.

Club, intramural and recreational athletes are not allowed to use the new facilities. However, the weight room at the Gordon facility is no longer reserved for athletic teams at certain times, freeing it up entirely for non-team athletes.

"[The new facility] will skim the demand from the weight facilities in the Gordon Indoor Track and Tennis building," said Director of Intramurals and Associate Director of Athletics John E. Wentzell.

Club sport athletes interviewed yesterday said that they did not mind the restrictions on the facility.

"Obviously you have to have some facility restricted to varsity athletes," said Andrew M. Pinkerton '93, captain of the men's rugby team.

Formerly, the only weight room free full-time to recreational players was at the Malkin Athletic Center.

The athletic department solicited an anonymous donor to fund the new facility.