McDonald Gym

Last updated
McDonald Gym
McDonald Gym and the Sheila Umphrey Recreation Center.jpg
McDonald Gym
LocationJimmy Simmons Boulevard and Dewey Street, Beaumont, TX
Coordinates 30°2′38″N94°4′39″W / 30.04389°N 94.07750°W / 30.04389; -94.07750
Owner Lamar University
Operator Lamar University
Capacity After Renovation: 500
Before Renovation: 4,200 [1]
SurfaceMaple wood floor
Construction
Built1958
Opened1958
Renovated2006-07
Expanded1985
Construction costOriginal: $850,000
Renovation: Part of a $17.8 million project
Main contractorsOriginal: Chambers Construction Company, Houston
Renovation: Allco, LLC
Tenants
Lamar Lady Cardinal Volleyball Team
Lamar Cardinals basketball
(1958-81)
Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball
(1969-81)

McDonald Gym, built in 1958, is located on the campus of Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas. The building was completely renovated in 2006-07 as part of the $17.8-million, 126,000 sq ft Sheila Umphrey Recreational Center project. [2] The gym's seating capacity was reduced from 4,200 to 500 as part of the renovation. McDonald Gym has been the home of the Lamar Lady Cardinals Volleyball Team since the renovation. The facility was named after the fourth president of Lamar Dr. F.L. McDonald. (1952–1967) The original construction cost estimate in 1957-1958 was $850,000. Chambers Construction Company of Houston, Texas was the main construction contractor. [3] Allco, LLC was the main contractor for the 2006-07 renovation.

Contents

Facility Features

In addition to the competition volleyball arena, the facility has the following:

Prior to 2007

As a 4,200 seat gymnasium, prior to the 2007 renovation project, the gym was home to both the Lamar Cardinals men's basketball team and Volleyball team from 1958 until the 1980–81 season. It was also the home of the Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball team from 1969 to 1980–81. Following the 1980–81 season, the basketball teams called the off-campus Beaumont Civic Center home from 1980-1984 until the construction of the 10,080 seat Montagne Center in 1984 gave the basketball teams a new on-campus home. [4]

220-65 Home Court Advantage Over the Years

McDonald Gym was home of the men's basketball team for 23 years. The Cardinals had a home record of 220–65 (.772) during that period. [5]

Post Season Tournaments

Over its life, the gym has also served as one of the venues for an annual YMBL South Texas Shootout high school basketball tournament held on the campus of Lamar University. In recent years, the Montagne Center also serves as another venue for the tournament. The tournament began in 1952. [6] [7] [8]

McDonald Gym highlights

1968-69 Season

As evidenced by the lopsided won/loss record when it was the home court for Lamar basketball, McDonald Gym was a tough place for an opponent to win. The 1968–69 season was a good example. That year, McDonald Gym was the home court of one of the more memorable seasons in Lamar Cardinals history. In addition to defeating several highly ranked NCAA Division I teams that season, Lamar defeated a previously unbeaten and sixth ranked Tulsa [9] as well 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Final Four team, Houston at McDonald Gym. That season was featured in a February 3, 1969 article in Sports Illustrated. [10]

The Streak - Start of the 80 Game Home Court Winning Streak

The men's basketball team's eighty (80) game home court winning streak started at McDonald Gym on February 18, 1978. Before the Cardinals moved to their new home at the Beaumont Civic Center, McDonald Gym saw the first thirty-seven (37) straight home wins of the streak. When the streak ended on March 10, 1984, the Cardinals were owners of seventh (7th) longest home court winning streak in NCAA history. [11]

See also

Related Research Articles

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Jack Tracy Martin was an American basketball coach. Martin coached the Lamar Cardinals for 25 seasons in both the Lone Star Conference and the Southland Conference. Jack was a brigadier general in the Texas Air National Guard, and held a top security defense rating. He served in the Pacific throughout World War II, and was a veteran of more than 35 years in the Air Force.

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Al Barbre is an American former basketball coach. He has coached men's and women's basketball at the high school and college level. He served as an assistant coach for the Stephen F. Austin and Lamar men's basketball teams. At Stephen F. Austin, the Lumberjacks won 29 straight games in the 1969–70 season. He took over as the Lamar Lady Cardinals basketball head coach prior to the 1987–88 season. As head coach for the Lady Cardinals, his team's results improved each year. His 1990–91 team qualified for the 1991 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament and defeated Texas, LSU, and Arkansas before losing to the eventual tournament champion finalist, Virginia Cavaliers, in the Elite Eight round. In addition to his coaching skills, he was a good recruiter.

The 2016–17 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by third-year head coach Tic Price and played their home games at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 19–15, 10–8 in Southland play to finish in a tie for fifth place. They defeated Southeastern Louisiana in the first round of the Southland tournament to advance to the quarterfinals where they lost to Stephen F. Austin. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they lost in the first round to Texas State.

The 2017–18 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by fourth-year head coach Tic Price and played their home games at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 19–14, 11–7 in Southland play to finish in a tie for fifth place. They lost in the first round of the Southland tournament to Central Arkansas. They were invited to the CollegeInsider.com Tournament where they lost in the first round to UTSA.

The Lamar Lady Cardinals volleyball team represents Lamar University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The Lady Cardinals compete in the Southland Conference and play their home games at McDonald Gym, an on campus facility in Beaumont, Texas. Ariel Apolinario was named head coach on January 5, 2024. He replaced former head coach Brandon Crisp who left the program on November 13, 2023.

The 1980–81 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 1980–81 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by first-year head coach Pat Foster and played their home games at McDonald Gym in Beaumont, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals won the regular season conference championship and the 1981 Southland Conference men's basketball tournament. They received an automatic invitation to the 1981 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament where they defeated the Missouri Tigers in the first game and lost to LSU in the second game. Lamar finished the season with a record of 25–5. The Cardinals were ranked in the AP Poll for one week at number 19.

The 2019–20 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2019–20 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by sixth-year head coach Tic Price and played their home games at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. They finished the season 17–15, 10–10 in Southland play to finish in a three-way tie for sixth place. They defeated McNeese State in the first round of the Southland tournament and were set to face Nicholls in the second round before the tournament was cancelled amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2020–21 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by seventh-year head coach Tic Price and played their home games at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas. This season was the Cardinals' last as members of the Southland Conference; Lamar was one of four schools, all from Texas, that left the Southland in July 2021 to join the Western Athletic Conference.

The 2021–22 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 2021–22 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by first-year head coach Alvin Brooks and played their home games at the Montagne Center in Beaumont, Texas as members of the first-year members of the Western Athletic Conference.

The 1978–79 Lamar Cardinals basketball team represented Lamar University during the 1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Cardinals were led by third-year head coach Billy Tubbs and played their home games at McDonald Gym in Beaumont, Texas as members of the Southland Conference. The Cardinals won the regular season conference championship to receive an invitation to the 1979 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament where they defeated No. 7 seed Detroit Mercy in the first round before falling to No. 1 seed and eventual National champion Michigan State and Magic Johnson. Lamar finished the season with a record of 23–9. This season was the first of three straight NCAA Tournament appearances for the Cardinals.

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-08-10. Retrieved 2014-07-28.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ↑ "Sheila Umphrey Recreational Center". Allco, LLC. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  3. ↑ Leon Obenhaus (February 8, 1957). "Work Begins on New Gym". The Redbird (Beaumont, TX). Vol. 6, no. 16, Ed. 1. Crediting Lamar University. University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History. p. 7. Retrieved May 15, 2018.
  4. ↑ "LAMAR CARDINALS Official Athletic SiteFacilities". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-06-24.
  5. ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lama/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2011-12/misc_non_event/6-3-7.pdf Archived 2014-07-14 at the Wayback Machine [ bare URL PDF ]
  6. ↑ "Timeline - 1952". ymbl.org. Young Men's Business League. Retrieved December 5, 2015.
  7. ↑ "YMBL Announces South Texas Shoot Out Basketball Tournament Dates". Young Men's Business League. November 9, 2011. Retrieved December 29, 2014. Began in 1952 by the Young Men's Business League, this tournament has grown over the years to become one of the premier high school basketball events in Southeast Texas.
  8. ↑ "YMBL, BISD basketball tourney scheduled". Beaumont Enterprise. November 24, 2014. Retrieved December 29, 2014. Originally called the YMBL Cage Tournament, the first tournament was held in 1952 and has grown to become one of the premier high school basketball showcase events in Southeast Texas.
  9. ↑ Rush Wood (January 28, 2009). "Lamar basketball enjoyed fast start, No. 1 ranking 40 years ago". Beaumont Enterprise. Retrieved December 27, 2014. With the Cardinals sitting at 6-0 and sixth-ranked University of Tulsa coming to town, most observers figured the good times were at an end. Instead, they kept rolling as Martin's flashy Cards decked Tulsa, 103-77.
  10. ↑ Patrick F. Putnam (February 3, 1969). "Lamar may be little, but it sure isn't minor". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved December 27, 2014. Undefeated, unsung and unbelieved, Lamar Tech of Beaumont has knocked off seven major teams in a major way and still the Cardinals are discounted. Bad show, pollsters. They are as good as their record
  11. ↑ http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/lama/sports/m-baskbl/auto_pdf/2010-11/misc_non_event/6-3-8.pdf Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine [ bare URL PDF ]


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