Hearnes Center
Encyclopedia
Hearnes Center is a 13,611-seat multi-purpose arena
in Columbia, Missouri
. The arena opened in 1972. It is currently home to the Tigers' nationally ranked wrestling
and volleyball teams as well as the school's gymnastics
and indoor track & field teams. It was home to the University of Missouri
Tigers basketball
team
before Mizzou Arena
opened in 2004.
Groundbreaking for the Hearnes Center occurred in 1969, and the stadium was officially dedicated on August 4, 1972. The stadium got its name from former Missouri governor and 1952 Mizzou graduate Warren Hearnes. The cost of the building project was $10.75 million. Prior to the opening of the Hearnes Center, the Missouri basketball team played its home games at Brewer Fieldhouse
, which was built in 1929 and has since been remodeled into a modern recreation center.
Hearnes quickly became one of the toughest places to play during the 1980s, when players such as Steve Stipanovich
, Jon Sundvold
, Derrick Chievous
and Doug Smith
suited up for Norm Stewart
. Several factors contributed to this reputation: the steep banking of the seating area, its flat roof and angling of its upper sections, and The Antlers
, whose presence in Section A-16 made them the bane of many an opposition. Decibel meters were added to the corners of the arena in the early 1990s in addition to new scoreboards, and it was not uncommon to see them go well above 110 dB during conference games, and regularly cresting 125 dB against Kansas
or during 2002's famed "Fire Code Game" against Iowa
, where well over 14,500 people packed the building to see then-#2 Mizzou be stunned by Steve Alford
's club.
In its later life, the building saw several changes: a new floor was installed in 1998, rear-projection video monitors replaced the matrix boards at the turn of the new millennium, and the student seating plan was also altered. Before Quin Snyder
came to coach the Tigers, student seating was scattered throughout the arena and distributed via who picked up tickets first, and while the largest amount sat along one sideline (including the band, Student Athletic Board and the aforementioned Antlers), others sat as high as the D sections, which early in the arena's life doubled as lecture halls (to this day, their seats have fold-out writing desks). Attempting to create an atmosphere similar to his former employers, Duke, Snyder mandated that all students be moved to one end of the court, where bleachers would replace the old seats and primacy would be given to his new "Zou Crew" club, with all other seating areas becoming general admission. The move was criticized for changing the atmosphere at Missouri games to something less unique while enabling more seats to be sold at a higher cost, but was duplicated (with more restrictions on student seating) at Mizzou Arena.
The Hearnes Center also contains a field house that is home to the indoor track and field team, as well as one of the country's largest blood drive
s. Each fall, students donate blood as part of the school's Homecoming
week festivities. In 2005, students and Columbia
residents donated over 5,000 units of blood.
During the school year, the parking lot adjacent to the main building serves as student parking for the many on-campus residents.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Columbia, Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
. The arena opened in 1972. It is currently home to the Tigers' nationally ranked wrestling
Collegiate wrestling
Collegiate wrestling, sometimes known in the United States as Folkstyle wrestling, is a style of amateur wrestling practised at the collegiate and university level in the United States. Collegiate wrestling emerged from the folk wrestling styles practised in the early history of the United States...
and volleyball teams as well as the school's gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
and indoor track & field teams. It was home to the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
Tigers basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
before Mizzou Arena
Mizzou Arena
Mizzou Arena is an indoor arena on the campus of the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, USA. The facility, home to the school's men's and women's basketball teams, opened in November 2004 and replaced the Hearnes Center as the school's main indoor sports facility. The arched-roof...
opened in 2004.
Groundbreaking for the Hearnes Center occurred in 1969, and the stadium was officially dedicated on August 4, 1972. The stadium got its name from former Missouri governor and 1952 Mizzou graduate Warren Hearnes. The cost of the building project was $10.75 million. Prior to the opening of the Hearnes Center, the Missouri basketball team played its home games at Brewer Fieldhouse
Brewer Fieldhouse
The Brewer Fieldhouse is a multi-purpose arena in Columbia, Missouri. It opened in 1929. It was home to the University of Missouri Tigers basketball team prior to the Hearnes Center opening in 1972. It was named after Chester Brewer....
, which was built in 1929 and has since been remodeled into a modern recreation center.
Hearnes quickly became one of the toughest places to play during the 1980s, when players such as Steve Stipanovich
Steve Stipanovich
Stephen Samuel Stipanovich is a retired American professional basketball player.A 6-ft 11-inch center from the University of Missouri, Stipanovich was selected by the Indiana Pacers with the second pick of the 1983 NBA Draft...
, Jon Sundvold
Jon Sundvold
Jon Thomas "Sunny" Sundvold is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1st round of the 1983 NBA Draft. A 6'2" shooting guard from the University of Missouri, Sundvold played in 9 NBA seasons from 1983–1992...
, Derrick Chievous
Derrick Chievous
Derrick Joseph Chievous is a retired American professional basketball player who played the forward position, and was selected by the Houston Rockets in the 1st round of the 1988 NBA Draft....
and Doug Smith
Doug Smith (basketball)
Douglas Smith is a retired American basketball player who was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 1st round of the 1991 NBA Draft. Smith played in five NBA seasons, for the Mavericks and the Boston Celtics and averaged 8.0 ppg in his NBA career...
suited up for Norm Stewart
Norm Stewart
Norman E. "Norm)" Stewart is a retired American college basketball coach. He coached at the University of Northern Iowa from 1961 to 1967, but is best known for his career with the University of Missouri from 1967 until 1999. He retired with an overall coaching record of 731-375 in 38 seasons...
. Several factors contributed to this reputation: the steep banking of the seating area, its flat roof and angling of its upper sections, and The Antlers
The Antlers
The Antlers is the student section of the University of Missouri basketball team.-History:The Antlers were formed in 1976 when a small section of 11 courtside seats in the school's basketball arena at that time, Hearnes Center, was made available to all students. At the time, all other prime level...
, whose presence in Section A-16 made them the bane of many an opposition. Decibel meters were added to the corners of the arena in the early 1990s in addition to new scoreboards, and it was not uncommon to see them go well above 110 dB during conference games, and regularly cresting 125 dB against Kansas
Kansas Jayhawks Basketball
The Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball program is the intercollegiate men's basketball program of the University of Kansas Jayhawks and is one of the most successful and prestigious programs in the history of college basketball...
or during 2002's famed "Fire Code Game" against Iowa
Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball
The Iowa Hawkeyes men's basketball team represents the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, as a member of the Big Ten Conference and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. They currently play in 15,500-seat Carver-Hawkeye Arena, along with the school's women's basketball, wrestling, and...
, where well over 14,500 people packed the building to see then-#2 Mizzou be stunned by Steve Alford
Steve Alford
Stephen Todd Alford is a retired American basketball player and the current head coach of the University of New Mexico Lobos men's basketball team...
's club.
In its later life, the building saw several changes: a new floor was installed in 1998, rear-projection video monitors replaced the matrix boards at the turn of the new millennium, and the student seating plan was also altered. Before Quin Snyder
Quin Snyder
Quin Snyder is currently an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. Snyder, was formerly in charge of player development for the 76ers and accepted the role in June 2010 after coaching the NBDL's Austin Toros for three seasons...
came to coach the Tigers, student seating was scattered throughout the arena and distributed via who picked up tickets first, and while the largest amount sat along one sideline (including the band, Student Athletic Board and the aforementioned Antlers), others sat as high as the D sections, which early in the arena's life doubled as lecture halls (to this day, their seats have fold-out writing desks). Attempting to create an atmosphere similar to his former employers, Duke, Snyder mandated that all students be moved to one end of the court, where bleachers would replace the old seats and primacy would be given to his new "Zou Crew" club, with all other seating areas becoming general admission. The move was criticized for changing the atmosphere at Missouri games to something less unique while enabling more seats to be sold at a higher cost, but was duplicated (with more restrictions on student seating) at Mizzou Arena.
The Hearnes Center also contains a field house that is home to the indoor track and field team, as well as one of the country's largest blood drive
Blood Drive
Blood Drive may refer to:*Blood donation at a special event where donors come to give blood*Blood Drive , the sixteenth episode of the fifth season of the television series The Office...
s. Each fall, students donate blood as part of the school's Homecoming
Homecoming
Homecoming is the tradition of welcoming back alumni of a school. It most commonly refers to a tradition in many universities, colleges and high schools in North America...
week festivities. In 2005, students and Columbia
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
residents donated over 5,000 units of blood.
During the school year, the parking lot adjacent to the main building serves as student parking for the many on-campus residents.