Winston-Salem War Memorial Coliseum

Winston-Salem War Memorial Coliseum
"The Old Coliseum"
	War Memorial Coliseum (Foreground) with NASCAR's Forsyth County Fairgrounds Speedway in the background.
Coordinates	36°07′34″N80°15′29″W / 36.1262°N 80.2581°W Coordinates: 36°07′34″N80°15′29″W / 36.1262°N 80.2581°W
Owner	City of Winston-Salem
Operator	City of Winston-Salem
Capacity	8,200 (Basketball)
Surface	Multi-Surface
Construction
Opened	September 19th, 1955
Closed	1989
Demolished	1989
Years active	1955 - 1989

Last updated February 20, 2023

Winston-Salem War Memorial Coliseum was a multi-purpose arena in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The arena, which opened in 1955, held 8,200 people and was eventually replaced by the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in 1989. It was home to the Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team from 1956 to 1989, though from 1959 onward the Deacons played many of their games at the Greensboro Coliseum as well.

Carolina Cougars

The Coliseum was home to the Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association during some, but not all, of the team's tenure in North Carolina from 1969 through 1974. The Houston Mavericks relocated the franchise to North Carolina in 1969. The Cougars were a "regional franchise," playing "home" games in Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum, Greensboro Coliseum, the original Charlotte Coliseum and Raleigh's Dorton Arena and Reynolds Coliseum. Hall of Fame Coach Larry Brown began his coaching career with the Cougars in 1972. Billy Cunningham was the ABA MVP for the Cougars in the 1972–73 season. Despite a strong fan base the Cougars were sold and moved to St. Louis in 1974, becoming the Spirits of St. Louis.^[1]

Hockey

The arena also hosted the Winston-Salem Polar Twins when they played in the Southern Hockey League and the Carolina/Winston-Salem Thunderbirds of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. In addition, it was the site of the MEAC men's basketball tournament from 1980 to 1982.

Wake Forest Basketball

Wake Forest moved its entire home basketball schedule to the Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem for the 1956-57 season, although the team did play two games in the facility one year earlier. The historic building was not popular with Deacon followers in its final years, but no one could argue with the success Wake Forest teams had here. The Demon Deacons won 250 games in Memorial Coliseum and lost only 94 for an impressive 72.7 winning percentage. The Coliseum, which has been leveled and replaced by a parking lot adjacent to LJVM Coliseum, had a capacity of 8,200.

Here are some notable games at the old Coliseum (Source: Wake Forest Media Guide):

February 12, 1962: Len Chappell scores a then school record 50 points against Virginia.
December 11, 1966: North Carolina State and Wake begin what becomes the longest game in ACC history after the lights at the Coliseum are blackened due to a transformer fire with 10:02 remaining in the first half. The two teams resumed the game on February 23 with State taking a 101–75 win.
February 15, 1969: Charlie Davis scores a school record 51 points in a game against American.
December 17, 1985: Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues ties a school record he set earlier in the month for the most steals in one game, 8, vs. Georgia Southern.

Related Research Articles

The Greensboro Coliseum Complex, commonly referred to as Greensboro Coliseum, is an entertainment and sports complex located in Greensboro, North Carolina. Opened in 1959, the complex holds eight venues that includes an amphitheater, arena, aquatic center, banquet hall, convention center, museum, theatre, and an indoor pavilion. It is the home of the UNC Greensboro Spartans men's basketball team, the Greensboro Swarm of the NBA G League, the Carolina Cobras of the National Arena League, as well as the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) with their Men's and Women's basketball tournaments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolina Cougars</span> Basketball team in Raleigh, North Carolina

The Carolina Cougars were a basketball franchise in the American Basketball Association that existed from 1969 through 1974. The Cougars were originally a charter member of the ABA as the Houston Mavericks in 1967. The Mavericks moved to North Carolina in late 1969 after two unsuccessful seasons in Houston at the Sam Houston Coliseum.

The Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a 14,407-seat multi-purpose arena, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Construction on the arena began on April 23, 1987, and it opened on August 28, 1989. It was named after Lawrence Joel, an Army medic from Winston-Salem who was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1967 for action in Vietnam on November 8, 1965. The memorial was designed by James Ford in New York, and includes the poem "The Fallen" engraved on an interior wall. It is home to the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons men's basketball and women's basketball teams, and is adjacent to the Carolina Classic Fairgrounds. The arena replaced the old Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum, which was torn down for the LJVM Coliseum's construction.

Bojangles Coliseum is an 8,600-seat multi-purpose arena located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It is operated by the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, which also oversees nearby Ovens Auditorium and the uptown Charlotte Convention Center. The naming-rights sponsor is the Bojangles restaurant chain. The building's signature domed roof is made of tin instead of steel or iron. The dome spans 332 feet in diameter and rises to 112 feet tall.

J. S. Dorton Arena is a 7,610-seat multi-purpose arena located in Raleigh, North Carolina, on the grounds of the North Carolina State Fair. It opened in 1952.

Athletes and sports teams from North Carolina compete at every level of competition in the United States including NASCAR Cup Series races, the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), the National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), leagues operated by the United Soccer League organization, and Major League Lacrosse (MLL), along with several colleges and universities in various conferences across an array of divisions. North Carolina also has many minor league baseball teams. There are also a number of indoor football, indoor soccer, minor league basketball, and minor league ice hockey teams throughout the state.

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represents Wake Forest University in NCAA Division I college basketball and competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Wake Forest made the Final Four in 1962 and through the years, the program has produced many NBA players. The Demon Deacons have won the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament four times, in 1961, 1962, 1995, and 1996. The current coach is Steve Forbes, who was hired on April 30, 2020.

Truist Field at Wake Forest is a football stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The stadium is just west of Gene Hooks Field at Wake Forest Baseball Park, home of the Wake Forest baseball team. It is primarily used for American football, and is the home field of the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons. The stadium opened in 1968 and holds 31,500 people. It is the smallest football stadium, by capacity, in both the ACC and in all Power 5 conferences. Previously known as Groves Stadium, in September 2007, Wake Forest University and BB&T, which was headquartered in Winston-Salem, announced a 10-year deal to officially rename the stadium BB&T Field starting with the first 2007 home game against Nebraska. The deal was part of a larger development process to secure funds for stadium renovations and upgrades. On July 8, 2020, the name of the stadium was changed to Truist Field at Wake Forest following a merger between BB&T and SunTrust.

The 2007–08 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represented Wake Forest University in the 2007–08 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demon Deacons, led by first-year head coach Dino Gaudio, played their games at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and were members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The 2008–09 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represented Wake Forest University in the 2008–09 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team's head coach was Dino Gaudio. he team played its home games in the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and was a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

The North Carolina–Wake Forest rivalry is a series of athletic contests between the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons. The first football game between the two institutions was played in 1888. As a consequence of ACC expansion in the 21st century, the two schools do not play each other annually in football, as they were placed in separate divisions and assigned different opponents for their "protected" cross-division games.

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons women's basketball team represents Wake Forest in women's basketball. The school competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Demon Deacons play home basketball games at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

The 2014–15 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represented Wake Forest University during the 2014–15 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demon Deacons were led by first-year head coach Danny Manning. The team played home games at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and was a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They finished the season 13–19, 5–11 in ACC play to finish twelfth place. They lost in the first round of the ACC tournament to Virginia Tech.

The 2015–16 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represented Wake Forest University during the 2015–16 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demon Deacons were led by second-year head coach Danny Manning. The team played home games at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and were a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Demon Deacons finished season 11–20, 2–16 in ACC play to finish in 14th place. They lost to NC State in the first round of the ACC tournament.

The 2016–17 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represented Wake Forest University during the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demon Deacons were led by third-year head coach Danny Manning. The team played their home games at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They finished the season 19–14, 9–9 in ACC play to finish in tenth place. They defeated Boston College in the first round of the ACC tournament to advance to the second round where they lost to Virginia Tech. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as a No. 11 seed in the South region. There they lost in the First Four to Kansas State.

The 2017–18 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represented Wake Forest University during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demon Deacons were led by fourth-year head coach Danny Manning and played their home games at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They finished the season 11–20, 4–14 in ACC play to finish in 14th place. They lost in the first round of the ACC tournament to Syracuse.

The 2018–19 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represented Wake Forest University during the 2018–19 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demon Deacons were led by fifth-year head coach Danny Manning and played their home games at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

The 2002–03 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represented Wake Forest University as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference during the 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by head coach Skip Prosser, the team played their home games at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Demon Deacons won the ACC regular season title by two games over Maryland, but would lose in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. Wake Forest received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 2 seed in the East region. After a 3-point win over East Tennessee State in the opening round, the Deacons were upset by No. 10 seed Auburn in the second round to end the season with a record of 25–6.

The 2001–02 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represented Wake Forest University as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference during the 2001–02 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by head coach Skip Prosser, the team played their home games at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Demon Deacons finished tied for third in the ACC regular season standings. They lost to Duke in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament. Wake Forest received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 7 seed in the Midwest region. After a win over Pepperdine in the opening round, the Deacons were beaten by No. 2 seed Oregon in the second round to end the season with a record of 21–13.

The 2022–23 Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team represents Wake Forest University during the 2022–23 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Demon Deacons are led by third-year head coach Steve Forbes and play their home games at the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

References

↑ "Remember the ABA: Carolina Cougars".

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[1] "Remember the ABA: Carolina Cougars".

[1]

v t e Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball
Venues	Gore Gymnasium (1935–1956) Winston-Salem War Memorial Coliseum (1956–1989) Greensboro Coliseum (alternate; 1959–1989) Reynolds Gymnasium (alternate; 1956–1989) LJVM Coliseum (1989–present)
Rivalries	North Carolina NC State
Culture & lore	Demon Deacon "O Here's to Wake Forest" Spirit of the Old Gold and Black Tobacco Road Dixie Classic/Big Four
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1942–43 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
NCAA Final Four appearances in italics

v t e Wake Forest Demon Deacons women's basketball
Venues	Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum (1972–1989) LJVM Coliseum (1989–present)
Culture & lore	Demon Deacon "O Here's to Wake Forest" Spirit of the Old Gold and Black Tobacco Road
People	Head coaches
Seasons	1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23