Hagan Arena
Encyclopedia
The Michael J. Hagan Arena (previously known as the Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse
) of Saint Joseph's University
is SJU's home court for Men's and Women's basketball. The new arena seats 4,200 which is 1,000 more than the Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse seated. The renovation adds a concourse, larger offices and locker rooms, a Hall of Fame room, study rooms, basketball center, and practice facilities. Seven-hundred seats were added to the student section which puts the total at 1,700 and makes this part of the arena even more intimidating for opposing teams.
In addition to serving as an arena for the basketball teams, Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse also contains locker rooms for students, faculty, and other varsity teams, an additional recreation room, squash courts, a swimming pool, and a weight room.
On October 26, 1967, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to 3,400 people in the Fieldhouse. Today, a bronze plaque in the lobby recognizes his visit.
The Hawks won 34 consecutive games in Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse from the late 1950s through the early 1960s. In the 1980s and 90's, the Fieldhouse served as the practice home for the Philadelphia 76ers.[2] There were over 125 sellouts over the last 15 years the Fieldhouse was open.
During the 2007 season, it was announced that the Fieldhouse would be closed and transformed with a $25 million renovation project to provide a 21st century facility for the quickly growing campus.
The final game at the Fieldhouse was a win over #8 ranked Xavier University on March 5, 2008. The sellout crowd included Hawk legends Jameer Nelson and Jack Ramsay[3].
During renovations, the Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball
team played its home games at the Palestra
on the University of Pennsylvania
's campus.
The arena was named after Michael Hagan, a 1985 graduate of Saint Joseph's and Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
resident who donated $10 million toward the project. The renovation is part of a larger project called With Faith and Strength To Dare: The Campaign For Saint Joseph's University.
, which is a two-story, 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) wing with locker rooms, offices, study space, conference rooms, and a Hall of Fame room.
The first game at Hagan was a win against Drexel University
and the Hawks went 8-4 in the first season at Hagan.
Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse
Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse was a 3,200-seat multi-purpose arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The arena, home to the Saint Joseph's University Hawks basketball opened in 1949 and was inaugurated on November 26 with a loss to the University of Rhode Island. The first women's varsity home game was...
) of Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
is SJU's home court for Men's and Women's basketball. The new arena seats 4,200 which is 1,000 more than the Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse seated. The renovation adds a concourse, larger offices and locker rooms, a Hall of Fame room, study rooms, basketball center, and practice facilities. Seven-hundred seats were added to the student section which puts the total at 1,700 and makes this part of the arena even more intimidating for opposing teams.
History
The original Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse was a 3,200-seat multi-purpose arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The arena, home to the Saint Joseph's University Hawks basketball opened in 1949 on Hawk Hill and was inaugurated on November 26 with a loss to the University of Rhode Island. The first women's varsity home game was a loss to Immaculata University on January 17, 1974. The building was dedicated to all college soldier-heroes on its dedication day, Veterans Day 1949.[1]In addition to serving as an arena for the basketball teams, Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse also contains locker rooms for students, faculty, and other varsity teams, an additional recreation room, squash courts, a swimming pool, and a weight room.
On October 26, 1967, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke to 3,400 people in the Fieldhouse. Today, a bronze plaque in the lobby recognizes his visit.
The Hawks won 34 consecutive games in Alumni Memorial Fieldhouse from the late 1950s through the early 1960s. In the 1980s and 90's, the Fieldhouse served as the practice home for the Philadelphia 76ers.[2] There were over 125 sellouts over the last 15 years the Fieldhouse was open.
During the 2007 season, it was announced that the Fieldhouse would be closed and transformed with a $25 million renovation project to provide a 21st century facility for the quickly growing campus.
The final game at the Fieldhouse was a win over #8 ranked Xavier University on March 5, 2008. The sellout crowd included Hawk legends Jameer Nelson and Jack Ramsay[3].
During renovations, the Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball
Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball
The Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team represents Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Its home court is the Hagan Arena. The team's only Final Four appearance in 1961 was removed from the NCAA records due to a gambling scandal. Through...
team played its home games at the Palestra
Palestra
The Palestra, also known as the Cathedral of College Basketball, is a historic arena and the home gym of the University of Pennsylvania Quakers men's and women's basketball teams, volleyball teams, wrestling team, and Philadelphia Big 5 basketball. Located at 215 South 33rd St...
on the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
's campus.
The arena was named after Michael Hagan, a 1985 graduate of Saint Joseph's and Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania, is a small unincorporated village located in Upper Makefield Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, with a zip code of 18977. Formerly known as "Taylorsville," it is most famous for Washington's crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas of 1776 during the...
resident who donated $10 million toward the project. The renovation is part of a larger project called With Faith and Strength To Dare: The Campaign For Saint Joseph's University.
Ramsay Basketball Center
The Hagan also includes the Ramsay Basketball Center, named after legendary coach Jack RamsayJack Ramsay
Jack T. Ramsay is an American former basketball coach, commonly known as "Dr. Jack" . He is best known for coaching the Portland Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA Title, and for his broadcasting work with the Indiana Pacers, the Miami Heat, and for ESPN TV and ESPN Radio...
, which is a two-story, 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) wing with locker rooms, offices, study space, conference rooms, and a Hall of Fame room.
The first game at Hagan was a win against Drexel University
Drexel University
Drexel University is a private research university with the main campus located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It was founded in 1891 by Anthony J. Drexel, a noted financier and philanthropist. Drexel offers 70 full-time undergraduate programs and accelerated degrees...
and the Hawks went 8-4 in the first season at Hagan.
See also
- Saint Joseph's UniversitySaint Joseph's UniversitySaint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
- Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketballSaint Joseph's Hawks men's basketballThe Saint Joseph's Hawks men's basketball team represents Saint Joseph's University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Its home court is the Hagan Arena. The team's only Final Four appearance in 1961 was removed from the NCAA records due to a gambling scandal. Through...