Hilton Coliseum
Encyclopedia
James H. Hilton Coliseum is a 14,356-seat multi-purpose arena
in Ames, Iowa
. The arena opened in 1971. It is home to the Iowa State University
Cyclones men's
and women's
basketball
teams, wrestling
, gymnastics
and volleyball
teams.
, an athletic and cultural events area located southeast of the main campus. The coliseum was named after former ISU president Dr. James H. Hilton, who pushed for the construction of the facility. The Iowa State Center
also includes Jack Trice Stadium
, C.Y. Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater and Scheman Continuing Education Building. Hilton Coliseum and Jack Trice Stadium
replaced State Gymnasium
and Clyde Williams Stadium, at the corner of Union Dr. & Sheldon Ave.
The first band to ever perform at the Hilton Coliseum was Meloncolony, a band composed of Midwest natives: Chuck Vail (singer), Wayne Groff (organ), Matt Peterson (bass), Clint Dudley (guitar), and Bob Curtis (drums). The band performed at an event organized by the YMCA to both entertain and encourage 2,300 locals to register to vote. Of the 2,300, 200 people registered that night.
The arena hosted the 1972 NCAA basketball tournament Midwest Regionals, as well as the 1982, 1988 and 1993 NCAA wrestling championships
. The arena is also the site of the annual Iowa All State Music Festival. It has also hosted commencements, concerts, conventions and other assemblies. A record basketball crowd of 15,000 saw the Cyclones post a 97-94 win over Iowa in 1971.
sportswriter Buck Turnbull. On a Feb. 14, 1989, showdown with the No. 3 Missouri Tigers
, the Cyclones conjured up the spirit of the Hilton crowd to produce a stunning 82-75 victory. The following day’s headline read “Hilton Magic Spells ‘Upset’ One More Time.”
In the article, Turnbull called for more “Hilton Magic” in the Cyclones’ upcoming bout with the Oklahoma State Cowboys
, which had pummeled ISU, 102-74, just three weeks earlier. On cue, “Hilton Magic” displayed its powers, as the Cyclones defeated the Cowboys, 90-81, marking a 37-point reversal from the season’s prior meeting.
Hilton Coliseum was specifically built to hold in sound with a solid concrete structure, steel doors, and a crowd that sits just a few feet from the court. With a fan base that frequently ranks among the nations largest crowds, players from opposing teams, as well as Iowa State, have said that the floor has shaken due to the loudness of the crowd.
More than two decades old, the term “Hilton Magic” is still applicable today. This reality was never more apparent than ISU’s school-record 39-game homecourt winning streak that was ended during the 2001-02 season. The streak, which spanned four different basketball seasons, was the second-longest in the nation at the time. In 2003-04, Iowa State went 17-1 in Hilton, recording the second-best single-season home win total in school history.
James H. Hilton Coliseum is recognized as one of the finest facilities for collegiate basketball in the nation. CBS SportsLine.com’s Dan Wetzel rated Hilton No. 10 on his list of the nation’s top college basketball arenas. Until the completion of the Sukup Practice Facility in the fall of 2009, both Cyclone squads held practices and games in the 14,356-seat arena. Both Women's and Men's teams continue to play home games at Hilton.
Hilton offers newly refurbished dressing rooms for both the ISU women's and men's teams, and additional rooms for visiting teams and officials. Hilton also houses a weight room, training room, media room, and the offices of the Men's and Women's Basketball Teams.
The men’s team has compiled a 112-24 (.824 winning percentage) home record during the last eight years. Iowa State has posted 10 or more home victories in the last 14 seasons.
Hilton Magic has been ever-present recently, helping the Cyclones tally a school-record 39 consecutive wins in the facility. The Cyclones went undefeated at home during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons and increased their winning streak to 30 games at the beginning of the 2001-02 campaign.
Iowa State and Hilton broke NIT attendance marks in 2004. The Cyclones drew 12,196 and 14,020 fans in their two NIT games they hosted, averaging 13,144 fans per contest. The Cyclones were 30th nationally in attendance in 2005 and were 26th in 2006.
The Iowa State women ranked among the top 11 nationally in women’s basketball attendance average for the eighth consecutive year last season, playing in front of 7,667 fans per game. Cyclones fans are getting their money’s worth, as ISU recorded its third undefeated home slate (15-0) in Hilton Coliseum in 2004-05. In 2009, the Cyclones had the 3rd highest attendance average in the nation.
The Cyclones recorded the first women’s basketball sellout crowd when 14,092 attended the WNIT-Nit double-header in Hilton Coliseum on March 25, 2004. ISU defeated Saint Joseph’s 66-58 to advance to the WNIT Final Four. Iowa State and its enthusiastic crowds earned the Cyclones a homecourt advantage for all four WNIT postseason games.
Both the men’s and women’s teams closed out the 2000-01 season with nationally ranked home win streaks. Together, the two programs posted a 65-1 record in Hilton Coliseum in the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons combined. In 2001-02 the combined men’s and women’s basketball attendance ranked sixth nationally (22,406).
Through the 2008-09 season, the Iowa State men's basketball team boasts a 422-149 record at Hilton Coliseum.
Fans in Hilton on Jan. 9, 1981, also had the privilege of seeing Dave Osenbaugh’s pin of national heavyweight champion Lou Banach of Iowa.
The Iowa State wrestling program has hosted five NCAA Championship events in 1974, 1979, 1982, 1988 and 1993 and Hilton has been home to eight conference meets in 1976, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1994, 1999, 2004, and most recently in 2006.
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 Ames, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
Ames is a city located in the central part of the U.S. state of Iowa in Story County, and approximately north of Des Moines. The U.S. Census Bureau designates that Ames, Iowa metropolitan statistical area as encompassing all of Story County, and which, when combined with the Boone, Iowa...
. The arena opened in 1971. It is home to the Iowa State University
Iowa State University
Iowa State University of Science and Technology, more commonly known as Iowa State University , is a public land-grant and space-grant research university located in Ames, Iowa, United States. Iowa State has produced astronauts, scientists, and Nobel and Pulitzer Prize winners, along with a host of...
Cyclones men's
Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball
The Iowa State Cyclones men's basketball team represents Iowa State University and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I.-Johnny Orr era :...
and women's
Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball
The Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball team represents Iowa State University and competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I. Iowa State's women's basketball team is 569-502 overall and 20-13 in post-season play.-Overview:...
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...
teams, wrestling
Iowa State Cyclones wrestling
Iowa State has won 8 national championships in wrestling. Iowa State's head coach is Kevin Jackson. Iowa State became the first collegiate wrestling program to reach 1000 dual wins on February 7, 2010.-Charles Mayser:...
, gymnastics
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
and volleyball
Iowa State Cyclones
The Iowa State Cyclones are the athletic teams of Iowa State University. The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports.*Men's sports...
teams.
Overview
The building was constructed in 1971 as part of the Iowa State CenterIowa State Center
The Iowa State Center is located just southeast of Iowa State University's central campus in Ames, Iowa. It is a complex of cultural and athletic venues...
, an athletic and cultural events area located southeast of the main campus. The coliseum was named after former ISU president Dr. James H. Hilton, who pushed for the construction of the facility. The Iowa State Center
Iowa State Center
The Iowa State Center is located just southeast of Iowa State University's central campus in Ames, Iowa. It is a complex of cultural and athletic venues...
also includes Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium is a stadium, in Ames, Iowa, United States. It opened on September 20, 1975 making it the newest stadium in the Big 12 Conference...
, C.Y. Stephens Auditorium, Fisher Theater and Scheman Continuing Education Building. Hilton Coliseum and Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium
Jack Trice Stadium is a stadium, in Ames, Iowa, United States. It opened on September 20, 1975 making it the newest stadium in the Big 12 Conference...
replaced State Gymnasium
State Gymnasium, Iowa
State Gymnasium is an arena on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. It was opened in 1913, and once was the school's primary indoor athletic facility, before the opening of Hilton Coliseum. It is located at the corner of Union Drive, just north of the site of the former Clyde...
and Clyde Williams Stadium, at the corner of Union Dr. & Sheldon Ave.
The first band to ever perform at the Hilton Coliseum was Meloncolony, a band composed of Midwest natives: Chuck Vail (singer), Wayne Groff (organ), Matt Peterson (bass), Clint Dudley (guitar), and Bob Curtis (drums). The band performed at an event organized by the YMCA to both entertain and encourage 2,300 locals to register to vote. Of the 2,300, 200 people registered that night.
The arena hosted the 1972 NCAA basketball tournament Midwest Regionals, as well as the 1982, 1988 and 1993 NCAA wrestling championships
NCAA Wrestling Team Championship
The NCAA Wrestling Team Championship was first officially awarded in 1929 and began to be continuously awarded on an annual basis in 1934 except during World War II 1943-1945. In 1928 and from 1931 to 1933, there was only an unofficial title. Oklahoma A&M, now Oklahoma State, won the 1928, 1931...
. The arena is also the site of the annual Iowa All State Music Festival. It has also hosted commencements, concerts, conventions and other assemblies. A record basketball crowd of 15,000 saw the Cyclones post a 97-94 win over Iowa in 1971.
Hilton Magic
“Hilton Magic,” the power of the Coliseum faithful to produce unexpected victories, was first recognized by Des Moines RegisterDes Moines Register
The Des Moines Register is the daily morning newspaper of Des Moines, Iowa, in the United States. A separate edition of the Register is sold throughout much of Iowa.-History:...
sportswriter Buck Turnbull. On a Feb. 14, 1989, showdown with the No. 3 Missouri Tigers
Missouri Tigers
The Missouri Tigers athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of the University of Missouri, located in Columbia, Missouri, United States...
, the Cyclones conjured up the spirit of the Hilton crowd to produce a stunning 82-75 victory. The following day’s headline read “Hilton Magic Spells ‘Upset’ One More Time.”
In the article, Turnbull called for more “Hilton Magic” in the Cyclones’ upcoming bout with the Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys
Oklahoma State Cowboys are the athletic teams that represent Oklahoma State University. Their mascot is a cowboy named Pistol Pete. Oklahoma State participates in the NCAA's Division I-A and in the Big 12 Conference's South Division. The university's current athletic director is Mike Holder...
, which had pummeled ISU, 102-74, just three weeks earlier. On cue, “Hilton Magic” displayed its powers, as the Cyclones defeated the Cowboys, 90-81, marking a 37-point reversal from the season’s prior meeting.
Hilton Coliseum was specifically built to hold in sound with a solid concrete structure, steel doors, and a crowd that sits just a few feet from the court. With a fan base that frequently ranks among the nations largest crowds, players from opposing teams, as well as Iowa State, have said that the floor has shaken due to the loudness of the crowd.
More than two decades old, the term “Hilton Magic” is still applicable today. This reality was never more apparent than ISU’s school-record 39-game homecourt winning streak that was ended during the 2001-02 season. The streak, which spanned four different basketball seasons, was the second-longest in the nation at the time. In 2003-04, Iowa State went 17-1 in Hilton, recording the second-best single-season home win total in school history.
Basketball
Hilton offers newly refurbished dressing rooms for both the ISU women's and men's teams, and additional rooms for visiting teams and officials. Hilton also houses a weight room, training room, media room, and the offices of the Men's and Women's Basketball Teams.
The men’s team has compiled a 112-24 (.824 winning percentage) home record during the last eight years. Iowa State has posted 10 or more home victories in the last 14 seasons.
Hilton Magic has been ever-present recently, helping the Cyclones tally a school-record 39 consecutive wins in the facility. The Cyclones went undefeated at home during the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons and increased their winning streak to 30 games at the beginning of the 2001-02 campaign.
Iowa State and Hilton broke NIT attendance marks in 2004. The Cyclones drew 12,196 and 14,020 fans in their two NIT games they hosted, averaging 13,144 fans per contest. The Cyclones were 30th nationally in attendance in 2005 and were 26th in 2006.
The Iowa State women ranked among the top 11 nationally in women’s basketball attendance average for the eighth consecutive year last season, playing in front of 7,667 fans per game. Cyclones fans are getting their money’s worth, as ISU recorded its third undefeated home slate (15-0) in Hilton Coliseum in 2004-05. In 2009, the Cyclones had the 3rd highest attendance average in the nation.
The Cyclones recorded the first women’s basketball sellout crowd when 14,092 attended the WNIT-Nit double-header in Hilton Coliseum on March 25, 2004. ISU defeated Saint Joseph’s 66-58 to advance to the WNIT Final Four. Iowa State and its enthusiastic crowds earned the Cyclones a homecourt advantage for all four WNIT postseason games.
Both the men’s and women’s teams closed out the 2000-01 season with nationally ranked home win streaks. Together, the two programs posted a 65-1 record in Hilton Coliseum in the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 seasons combined. In 2001-02 the combined men’s and women’s basketball attendance ranked sixth nationally (22,406).
Through the 2008-09 season, the Iowa State men's basketball team boasts a 422-149 record at Hilton Coliseum.
Wrestling
Some of the most cherished moments in Hilton Coliseum history have come by way of the tradition-rich ISU wrestling program. Hilton was home to Cael Sanderson’s unprecedented, undefeated four-year career and his quartet of national championships.Fans in Hilton on Jan. 9, 1981, also had the privilege of seeing Dave Osenbaugh’s pin of national heavyweight champion Lou Banach of Iowa.
The Iowa State wrestling program has hosted five NCAA Championship events in 1974, 1979, 1982, 1988 and 1993 and Hilton has been home to eight conference meets in 1976, 1979, 1983, 1986, 1994, 1999, 2004, and most recently in 2006.