Former names | Le Moyne Athletic Center (1962–1972) Henniger Athletic Center |
---|---|
Location | 500 Springfield Road Syracuse, [a] NY 13214, U.S. |
Owner | Le Moyne College |
Operator | Le Moyne College |
Capacity | 2,637 |
Surface | Hardwood |
Scoreboard | Yes |
Construction | |
Broke ground | March 1961 |
Opened | September 16, 1962 |
Renovated | 2016 |
Construction cost | $1 million (original) $4 million (1989 addition) |
Architect | Pederson, Hueber, and Hares James E. Glavin and Associates (landscape) QPK Design (renovation) |
General contractor | Dygert Construction Co., Inc. |
Main contractors | Edward Joy Co. (electrical, heating and ventilation) Thomas A. Murphy Co. (plumbing) |
Tenants | |
Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball, women's basketball and women's volleyball |
The Le Moyne Events Center is a multi-purpose arena in DeWitt, New York, United States, that serves as the home arena for the Le Moyne Dolphins women's basketball and volleyball, and men's basketball teams on the campus of Le Moyne College. [3] The venue is sometimes identified as the Event Center. [4]
The hardwood playing surface within the Events Center is named Ted Grant Court [5] [6] in honor of G. Edward Grant, a member of Le Moyne's inaugural class of 1951. Grant served as a trustee of Le Moyne College from 1981 to 1987, and was a financial supporter of the athletics program. Le Moyne's turf field is also named in his honor. [7]
The initial proposal for the construction of a field house on Le Moyne's campus was floated in 1959. [8] A fundraising drive for construction of new buildings on campus was organized in early 1960. [9] As of spring 1960, nine new structures were planned with a total capital budget of $3.325 million. [10] By fall 1960, plans for a 3,000-seat gymnasium were being formulated with construction expected to begin in spring 1961. The estimated cost of building the gym was $775,000. [9]
In February 1961, final plans for the field house were announced with ground breaking scheduled to take place the following month. The design of the building included a 22,500-square-foot gymnasium along with a spacious lobby for spectators. The maximum seating capacity for basketball was to be 3,000, when portable bleachers were employed. The building was designed to be used as a home arena for intercollegiate sports as well as for intramural sports for both men and women. A press box designed to accommodate journalists as well as radio and television coverage of events in the building was included in the plan. Part of the building was to be set aside for athletic department administration offices. Showers and men's locker rooms for both home and visiting teams would be easily accessible from the court within the building as well as the outdoor baseball and football/soccer fields. A women's lounge and offices for female faculty were to be located on another side of the building. Courts for playing badminton, tennis, handball and squash were to be included along with an eight-lane bowling alley with automatic pin-setting equipment. The steel-frame building with masonry and translucent plastic exterior walls was designed by the architectural firm of Pederson, Hueber, and Hares. The landscape architectural work was done by James E. Glavin. The cost of the building was expected to be $800,000. The building was expected to open with the varsity basketball team playing the Providence Friars on February 5, 1962. [11] The basketball court was intentionally placed on one end of the building rather than in the center, which reduced the capacity by about 2,000 seats, to ensure other activities could be conducted within the building while the basketball court was in use. [12]
In March 1961, Le Moyne hired Dygert Construction Co., Inc. as the general contractor for the building project after the opening of sealed bids. Edward Joy Co. was engaged to perform the electrical, heating and ventilation work, and the Thomas A. Murphy Co. was hired for plumbing. [13]
On October 31, 1961, Bishop Walter A. Foery of Syracuse officiated a ceremony to mark the laying of the cornerstone. Several items were place inside a cornerstone box. These included a small crucifix, a copy of President Kennedy's message on physical fitness, a copy of the October 31, 1961 issue of The Post-Standard , a Le Moyne College catalog, a Le Moyne student handbook, a Le Moyne Dolphins basketball brochure, news releases and data on the building and its construction, photographs of the Le Moyne track and basketball teams, an intramural trophy and a perpetual basketball pass good forever to the finder. [14]
When Le Moyne released its basketball schedule for the 1961–62 season, in October 1961, it was expected that the Events Center would be ready to open for the February 5 game against Providence. [15] However, the following month, it appeared the building would not be completed in time. The last piece of steel for the structure went up three months later than scheduled. It appeared the building was six weeks away from getting heat, which was needed before the basketball court could be installed to prevent warping of the wood. [16] The delays could not be overcome, and the Providence game was played at the West Jefferson Street Armory. [17]
By September 1962, construction of the building was completed with the final price tag coming in at $1 million. Initially, it was referred to as the Le Moyne Athletic Center. [18] A dedication ceremony officially marking the opening of the facility was held on September 16, 1962. [19] The building was given the name Anthony A. Henninger Athletic Center by early 1973, and often called the Henninger Athletic Center. [20]
An addition to the original building was constructed in 1989, at a cost of $4 million. The addition was to house a swimming pool, a gymnasium, racquetball courts, an elevated running track, a fitness room, locker rooms and athletic department offices. Le Moyne students were the intended primary users of the new facilities, and intercollegiate sports would continue to be played in the older gym, except should Le Moyne form a swim team in the future. [21]
The arena underwent a significant renovation in 2016, [22] and reopened on October 12 of that year with an afternoon ceremony and blessing. Later that night, Le Moyne's women's volleyball team won the first event contested at the renovated venue, a 3–2 victory over Roberts Wesleyan. [3]
The first varsity intercollegiate contest in the arena was the Dolphins men's basketball team's season opener against their archrival and conference opponent, Siena, on December 1, 1962. A crowd of 2,100 witnessed the return of former Le Moyne moderator of athletics, Rev. Vincent B. Ryan, S.J., who was on hand to throw out the first ball in a pre-game ceremony. Jim McGrath, who finished with a game-high 19 points, hit a jump shot to give Le Moyne a 2–0 lead and score the first points in a varsity game in the new arena. The Dolphins' pressure defense, led by Tom Cooney, forced Siena into turnovers and fueled the offense, putting Le Moyne in front, 23–15 at the half. [23] [24]
During the intermission, Rev. John J. O'Brien, S.J., who was the current moderator of athletics, introduced Le Moyne's first team, which played Siena in the program's inaugural game in 1948, former team captains and members of the Dolphins' 1,000 career points club. Former players on hand for the festivities included Don Savage, Lou Donahue, Joe Boehm, Bob Hurley, Dave Lozo, Dick Riley, Patsy Leo, Len Mowins, Dick Kenyon, Ron Mack, Denny Morissey, Dick Lynch, John Caveney and Bill Stanley. Syracuse mayor William Walsh was also present. [23] [24]
When the action resumed, the Indians came out flying, opening the second half with a 10–2 run to erase Le Moyne's lead and tie the game at 25 in only five minutes. Siena extended the run to 18–5 to push ahead, 33–28. Midway through the second half, Dick Myers fouled out, the Dolphins trailed 37–33, and Siena appeared to have the momentum. The Indians answered each of Le Moyne's next two baskets with one of their own and led, 41–37, with 3:14 to play. McGrath drew a foul and hit both free throws to cut Siena's lead to two points. After an empty Indians possession, Chris Pitman was fouled and knocked down both shots to tie the game at 41 with just over two minutes to play. Siena's Paul Thorpe missed a layup inside the 1:50 mark, and Pitman grabbed the rebound. The Dolphins froze the ball, holding for the final shot, until Mickey Flynn's 12-footer from the left side fell through the hoop with five seconds left, giving Le Moyne a 6–0 run and a 43–41 lead. The Indians' final desperation shot was blocked by the Dolphins, sealing the Le Moyne victory. Flynn finished the game with nine points. [23] [24]
The varsity game was the nightcap of a doubleheader that opened with Le Moyne's freshman team defeating Powelson Business Institute, 65–47. Tony McCann led the Dolphin Cubs with 22 points, while Gary DeYulia and Tom Mullen each added 13 points. [25]
The 2016 renovation enabled the venue to be used in three different configurations, each with a different maximum seating capacity. Configuration A produces a maximum capacity of 2,637. It includes full chair-back seating on both the north and south sides of the building, portable bleachers on the east side, and chairs assembled on the floor with the stage at the west end of the building. This is the basic configuration used for basketball games, except for the chairs on the court. There is a second set of portable bleachers that can be used at the east end of the building, when there is no stage, such as is the case with basketball games. [1] The seating capacity for basketball reported by Le Moyne to the NCAA is 2,000, [2] which assumes the second set of bleachers are not made available.
Configuration B produces a maximum capacity of 1,705, using the full chair-back seating on either the north or south side with the stage opposite those seats and additional chairs assembled on the floor. [1]
Configuration C produces a maximum capacity of 685, using seating on either the north or south side with the stage in the middle of the floor. [1]
The Events Center hosted regional games of the 1965, [26] 1966, [27] 1969 [28] [29] and 2018 NCAA College Division/Division II basketball tournaments.
The 1968 Amateur Athletic Union junior national boxing championships were staged in the arena. [30]
Men's basketball contests of the 1980 Empire State Games were played in the Events Center. [31]
The following entertainers have performed at the Events Center:
Le Moyne College is a private Jesuit college mostly in DeWitt Town, New York. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1946, and named after Jesuit missionary Simon Le Moyne. Le Moyne was the first co-educational Jesuit college in the United States.
Syracuse, New York, United States, is a top-division, minor-league and college sports city. Teams include the Syracuse Mets of AAA Baseball and the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL. The most attended sporting events in Syracuse are those of the NCAA Division I Syracuse University Orange.
Charles M. Murphy Athletic Center is the name of the main athletic department building at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. The building opened December 11, 1972, and is named in honor of former athletics director Charles M. "Bubber" Murphy, a standout athlete at the college in the 1930s, who also served as head coach of Middle Tennessee State's football (1947–1968), basketball (1948–1949), and baseball programs.
The Le Moyne Dolphins are the athletic teams that represent Le Moyne College, located in DeWitt, New York, in NCAA Division I intercollegiate sporting competitions. The Dolphins compete as members of Northeast Conference. Le Moyne had been a member of the NCAA Division II Northeast-10 Conference since 1996. At the end of the 2022–23 academic year, Le Moyne began the transition to NCAA Division I as a new member of the NEC.
The 1969 NCAA College Division basketball tournament involved 32 schools playing in a single-elimination tournament to determine the national champion of men's NCAA College Division college basketball as a culmination of the 1968–69 NCAA College Division men's basketball season. It was won by Kentucky Wesleyan College, with Kentucky Wesleyan's George Tinsley named the Most Outstanding Player.
The Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball program is the men's college basketball team of Le Moyne College. The Dolphins compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as a member of the Northeast Conference and are currently coached by Nate Champion. The Dolphins have played their home games on Ted Grant Court at the Le Moyne Events Center in DeWitt, New York since 1962. The Dolphins are currently transitioning to Division I and are ineligible to participate in the NCAA tournament until the 2027–28 season.
The Le Moyne Dolphins women's basketball program is the women's college basketball team of Le Moyne College. The Dolphins compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the Northeast Conference and are currently coached by Mary Grimes. The Dolphins have played their home games on Ted Grant Court at the Le Moyne Events Center in DeWitt, New York. After years of playing in the Northeast-10 Conference in NCAA Division II, the Dolphins are currently transitioning to Division I and are ineligible to participate in the NCAA tournament until the 2027–28 season.
The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1948 to 1958 begins with the inception of the men's varsity basketball program at Le Moyne College. Le Moyne had seven winning seasons and only two losing seasons during their first 10 years. They participated in a postseason tournament, the Utica Optimist Club Invitational, in only their second season. The Dolphins won the Utica tournament three times: in 1950, 1951 and 1952. Le Moyne participated in the National Catholic Invitational Tournament twice, finishing third in 1951, and reaching the quarterfinals in 1952. Although the Dolphins were classified as a small college program by the Associated Press until 1956, when the school became an NCAA College Division member, Le Moyne played 74 games against major/University Division programs during their initial 10 years, going 25–49. The Dolphins were led by head coach Tommy Niland, who mentored the team for its first 25 years. Their team captain for the first three seasons, Don Savage went on to play in the NBA.
The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1958 to 1960 includes the Dolphins' first two appearances in the NCCA tournament. Led by Dick Lynch, Bob Hollembaek and Chuck Sammons, Le Moyne won a share of the 1959 Middle Eastern College Athletic Association (MECAA) championship, the first conference title in program history and earned the first of what would be seven NCAA tournament bids over a span of 11 seasons. Lynch, John Caveny and Bill Stanley led the Dolphins to the outright MECAA championship in 1960, and a second consecutive tournament berth. Head coach Tommy Niland was named MECAA coach of the year for both 1959 and 1960. The Dolphins were 18–6 in 1958–59, reaching the Sweet 16 of the 1959 tournament, and 13–5 in 1959–60, finishing fourth in their region in the 1960 tournament. Lynch was named first-team all-MECAA in both seasons.
The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1960 to 1963 includes the Dolphins' championship at the 1960 Middle Eastern College Athletic Association (MECAA) Invitational Tournament and the opening of their on-campus home venue, now known as the Le Moyne Events Center. The Dolphins won their third MECAA championship in 1962, when Bill Stanley became the first Le Moyne player to win a conference player of the year award.
The 2024–25 Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's basketball team represents the University of Notre Dame, located in Notre Dame, Indiana, in the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team is led by head coach Micah Shrewsberry in his second season as head coach and plays home games at the on-campus Joyce Center as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1963 to 1966 includes the Dolphins' three consecutive appearances in the NCAA College Division tournament. Led by sophomore Gary DeYulia and senior Tom Cooney, Le Moyne reached the Sweet 16 of the 1964 tournament. Tom Mullen and Dan Frawley provided a strong inside game to complement DeYulia's scoring, and the Dolphins repeated as conference champions but lost in the first round of the 1965 tournament. Head coach Tommy Niland was named conference coach of the year in both 1964 and 1965. As a senior, DeYulia was conference player of the year and teamed with Mullen to lead the Dolphins to a berth in the 1966 tournament, with regional games hosted by Le Moyne for the second straight year. Le Moyne finished third in Section B of the Northeast Region. The Dolphins were 52–17 between the 1963–64 and 1965–66 seasons, including a 7–2 record against University Division opponents.
The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1966 to 1969 includes two appearances in the NCAA tournament by the Dolphins. After Le Moyne was plagued by academic suspensions and struggled to an 11–10 record in 1966–67, the Dolphins rebounded to earn an at-large bid to the 1968 NCAA tournament under the leadership of senior captain Gerry McDermott. However, with McDermott slowed by a late-season leg injury, the Dolphins fell in the first round. Junior Tom Downey led Le Moyne to a share of the Middle Eastern College Athletic Association (MECAA) championship and a bid to host the regionals of the 1969 NCAA tournament. However, the Dolphins' shooting went cold in the second half of their first-round game, and they were eliminated, despite strong efforts from Chuck Brady and Matt Fallis. Le Moyne's strong play against University Division opponents continued, as the Dolphins won two games against such foes in each of the three seasons.
The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1969 to 1973 includes the final four years of the coaching reign of Tommy Niland, Le Moyne's head coach since the inception of the program in 1948, and the career of Phil Harlow, one of the Dolphins' all-time greatest players. Le Moyne did not earn a postseason berth but did win the Middle Eastern College Athletic Association (MECAA) championship in 1972–73, Niland's final season, with an undefeated league record. In 1969–70, the Dolphins failed to earn a win against a University Division opponent, the first time since the 1956 split of the NCAA into divisions they were unable to do so. In 1970–71, Le Moyne suffered their first losing season in 19 years. Harlow finished his collegiate career as Le Moyne's all-time scoring leader. As of 2025, Niland remains the program's all-time leader in wins as a head coach.
The 2024–25 Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball team represents Le Moyne College during the 2024–25 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Dolphins, led by fifth-season head coach Nate Champion, play their home games on Ted Grant Court in the Le Moyne Events Center in DeWitt, New York as second-year members of the Northeast Conference (NEC) and NCAA Division I. This is the 76th season of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball.
The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1973 to 1979 includes the coaching reign of Tom Cooney. Although Le Moyne did not have a losing record in any of the six seasons under Cooney and had an overall record of 82–63, the Dolphins failed to reach the postseason. Rick May became the first Le Moyne player to record 1,000 career rebounds as a senior during the 1973–74 season. The Middle Eastern College Athletic Association (MECAA), the conference in which Le Moyne had been a member since 1955, dissolved following the 1975–76 season. Coach Cooney's first recruiting class turned out to be his best, producing a 15–7 record as seniors in the 1976–77 season. They were led by John Lauer and Pete Hogan, both of whom ended their careers in the top six among Le Moyne's all-time leading scorers. Although the Dolphins were not selected for the 1977 NCAA tournament, Le Moyne athletic director Tommy Niland believed they deserved a bid, and that the best 32 teams were not chosen. The Dolphins played their first ever game against Division I power Syracuse, located only four miles away, during the 1977–78 season. Jene Grey, who was selected in the 1979 NBA draft, finished his Dolphins career as the program's second leading all-time scorer and rebounder.
The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1979 to 1983 includes the head coaching reign of Mike Lee. His inaugural season was the worst in the history of Le Moyne men's basketball, and the Dolphins repeated the feat with an even worse season in Lee's sophomore campaign. Le Moyne's final season under Lee was their best during his tenure. Players recruited by Lee, including Wright Lassiter, Paul Galvin and Bobby Chestnut, would go on to play keys roles in more successful Dolphin teams after Lee's departure.
The history of Le Moyne Dolphins men's basketball from 1983 to 1988 includes the first five years of the head coaching reign of John Beilein. The Dolphins joined the Mideast Collegiate Conference (MECC) in Beilein's first season and went undefeated in league play to win the conference regular-season championship. However, Le Moyne failed to win the MECC tournament and were not selected for an at-large bid to the 1984 NCAA tournament. The 1983–84 season marked the first time in program h istory that Le Moyne won 20 games. Scott Hicks and Pete Jerebko, both of whom would become Le Moyne Hall of Famers, arrived as freshmen in 1984. Despite a solid 19-win campaign in 1984–85, the Dolphins failed to earn an at-large berth to the tournament. After a losing season marred by injuries, illness and suspensions, Le Moyne bounced back with their second 20-win season in 1986–87. However, after falling in the MECC tournament, Le Moyne was not selected for an at-large bid to the 1987 NCAA tournament. Len Rauch, who would go on to finish his college career as Le Moyne's all-time leading scorer and rebounder, arrived for his freshmen season in 1987. Hicks, Jerebko and Rauch led the Dolphins to the regular-season co-championship of the MECC, the conference tournament title and a berth in the 1988 NCAA tournament. Le Moyne finished with a program-best 24–6 record in 1987–88, and that season's team was later enshrined in the Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame.
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