McCarthey Athletic Center
Encyclopedia
McCarthey Athletic Center or "MAC" is a 6,000-seat multi-purpose arena
in Spokane, Washington
. The arena opened in 2004. It is home to the Gonzaga University
Bulldogs
basketball
program, and is often called "The New Kennel". This nickname was inherited from the school's former basketball arena, Charlotte Y. Martin Centre
, popularly known as "The Kennel," which had been home to the Bulldogs for 39 years. As the MAC has become the established basketball arena on campus its nickname as "The New Kennel" is gradually becoming "The Kennel" with the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre being known as the "Martin Centre." For several years it was the largest basketball arena in the West Coast Conference
. It lost this distinction when Brigham Young University
joined in 2011; its arena, Marriott Center
, seats 22,700 – more than triple the MAC capacity.
The arena's naming rights went to the McCartheys of Salt Lake City, as a result of major gifts by Gonzaga Trustee Philip McCarthey and Regent Thomas McCarthey. Both are Gonzaga alumni and former owners of The Salt Lake Tribune
.
Not only has it hosted basketball games for the women's and men's teams, it has also served as the venue for concerts by Switchfoot
, Yellowcard
, Ben Folds
, Jay Sean, Death Cab for Cutie
and comedians Bill Cosby
and Jeff Foxworthy
.
In 2006, the West Coast Conference
post-season tournament came to the McCarthey Center, marking the first time the event had ever been held in Spokane, as the original "Kennel
" was considered too small to host the event and the larger Spokane Arena
was unavailable due to annual scheduling conflicts.
After 38 consecutive wins in the McCarthey Athletic Center and a 50-game win streak dating back to the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre, Santa Clara University
's Broncos ended what was, at the time, the longest home win streak in the NCAA
. As of July 2, 2011, there have only been six Gonzaga men's basketball losses in the building: Santa Clara (02/12/2007), Washington State (12/05/2007), Portland State (12/23/2008), Wake Forest (12/05/2009), San Diego State (11/16/2010) and Saint Mary's (1/27/2011).
women's basketball all-time points record.
On January 30, 2010, Heather Bowman broke the Gonzaga University
women's basketball all-time points record.
On March 21, 2011, Courtney Vandersloot
became the first basketball player (men's or women's) to score 2000 points and tally 1000 assists in their career.
.
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 Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. The arena opened in 2004. It is home to the Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
Bulldogs
Gonzaga Bulldogs
The Gonzaga Bulldogs are the athletic teams at Gonzaga University; the term applies to any of the school's varsity teams. Gonzaga University is a member of the West Coast Conference, which participates in the NCAA Division I...
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...
program, and is often called "The New Kennel". This nickname was inherited from the school's former basketball arena, Charlotte Y. Martin Centre
Charlotte Y. Martin Centre
Charlotte Y. Martin Centre is an athletics center on the campus of Gonzaga University housing a 4,000 seat multi-purpose arena in Spokane, Washington. It opened on December 3, 1965 as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Pavilion, with a capacity of approximately 2,000 patrons...
, popularly known as "The Kennel," which had been home to the Bulldogs for 39 years. As the MAC has become the established basketball arena on campus its nickname as "The New Kennel" is gradually becoming "The Kennel" with the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre being known as the "Martin Centre." For several years it was the largest basketball arena in the West Coast Conference
West Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference is an NCAA collegiate athletics conference consisting of nine member schools across the states of California, Oregon, Utah and Washington....
. It lost this distinction when Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
joined in 2011; its arena, Marriott Center
Marriott Center
Marriott Center is a 22,700-seat multi-purpose arena at 1497 N 450 E on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and is home to the BYU Cougars men's and women's basketball teams. It is also used for weekly devotionals and forums...
, seats 22,700 – more than triple the MAC capacity.
The arena's naming rights went to the McCartheys of Salt Lake City, as a result of major gifts by Gonzaga Trustee Philip McCarthey and Regent Thomas McCarthey. Both are Gonzaga alumni and former owners of The Salt Lake Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune
The Salt Lake Tribune is the largest-circulated daily newspaper in the U.S. city of Salt Lake City. It is distributed by Newspaper Agency Corporation, which also distributes the Deseret News. The Tribune — or "Trib," as it is locally known — is currently owned by the Denver-based MediaNews Group....
.
Not only has it hosted basketball games for the women's and men's teams, it has also served as the venue for concerts by Switchfoot
Switchfoot
Switchfoot is an American rock band from San Diego, California. The band's members are Jon Foreman , Tim Foreman , Chad Butler , Jerome Fontamillas , and Drew Shirley .After early successes in the Christian rock scene, Switchfoot first gained mainstream...
, Yellowcard
Yellowcard
Yellowcard is an American pop punk/alternative rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida in 1997, and based in Los Angeles, California since 2000. Their music features the use of a violin, unusual for the genre...
, Ben Folds
Ben Folds
Benjamin Scott "Ben" Folds is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and television personality. From 1995-2000, Folds was the frontman and pianist of the alternative rock band Ben Folds Five. Since the group disbanded, Folds has performed as a solo artist and has toured all over the world...
, Jay Sean, Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
and comedians Bill Cosby
Bill Cosby
William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr. is an American comedian, actor, author, television producer, educator, musician and activist. A veteran stand-up performer, he got his start at various clubs, then landed a starring role in the 1960s action show, I Spy. He later starred in his own series, the...
and Jeff Foxworthy
Jeff Foxworthy
Jeffrey Marshall "Jeff" Foxworthy is an American comedian, television and radio personality and author. He is a member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, a comedy troupe which also comprises Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall and Ron White. Known for his "you might be a redneck" one-liners, Foxworthy...
.
In 2006, the West Coast Conference
West Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference is an NCAA collegiate athletics conference consisting of nine member schools across the states of California, Oregon, Utah and Washington....
post-season tournament came to the McCarthey Center, marking the first time the event had ever been held in Spokane, as the original "Kennel
Charlotte Y. Martin Centre
Charlotte Y. Martin Centre is an athletics center on the campus of Gonzaga University housing a 4,000 seat multi-purpose arena in Spokane, Washington. It opened on December 3, 1965 as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Pavilion, with a capacity of approximately 2,000 patrons...
" was considered too small to host the event and the larger Spokane Arena
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena
Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena a multi-purpose arena, located in Spokane, Washington, USA.It is home to the Spokane Chiefs, of the WHL and the Spokane Shock, of the AFL.-Construction:...
was unavailable due to annual scheduling conflicts.
After 38 consecutive wins in the McCarthey Athletic Center and a 50-game win streak dating back to the Charlotte Y. Martin Centre, Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University is a private, not-for-profit, Jesuit-affiliated university located in Santa Clara, California, United States. Chartered by the state of California and accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, it operates in collaboration with the Society of Jesus , whose...
's Broncos ended what was, at the time, the longest home win streak in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
. As of July 2, 2011, there have only been six Gonzaga men's basketball losses in the building: Santa Clara (02/12/2007), Washington State (12/05/2007), Portland State (12/23/2008), Wake Forest (12/05/2009), San Diego State (11/16/2010) and Saint Mary's (1/27/2011).
Records
On January 16, 2010, Heather Bowman broke the West Coast ConferenceWest Coast Conference
The West Coast Conference is an NCAA collegiate athletics conference consisting of nine member schools across the states of California, Oregon, Utah and Washington....
women's basketball all-time points record.
On January 30, 2010, Heather Bowman broke the Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University
Gonzaga University is a private Roman Catholic university located in Spokane, Washington, United States. Founded in 1887 by the Society of Jesus, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities and is named after the young Jesuit saint, Aloysius Gonzaga...
women's basketball all-time points record.
On March 21, 2011, Courtney Vandersloot
Courtney Vandersloot
Courtney Vandersloot is an American basketball player, currently a point guard with the Chicago Sky in the WNBA and Beşiktaş in the Turkish Women's Basketball League...
became the first basketball player (men's or women's) to score 2000 points and tally 1000 assists in their career.
NCAA Tournament
In October 2009, NCAA announced that McCarthey Athletic Center will be one of 16 locations that will host the first and second rounds of the 2011 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament2011 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2011 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament began on March 19, 2011 and concluded on April 5, 2011. The Texas A&M Aggies won the championship....
.