Murphy Center
Encyclopedia
Charles M. Murphy Athletic Center (Murphy Center for short) is the name of the main athletic
department building at Middle Tennessee State University
in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
, United States
. The building was built in 1973 and named in honor of Charles M. "Bubber" Murphy, a standout athlete at the college in the 1930s and later the school's football coach from 1947 to 1967. The building houses most of the university's athletics offices, some classroom space, athletic practice facilities and weight rooms, racquetball
courts and, most notably, the 11,802-seat multi-purpose Monte Hale Arena.
teams. Hale Arena features a bowl of permanent box seats around the basketball floor and eighteen sections of collapsible bleachers on the concourse above the bowl. While the arena was named in honor of local sportswriter Monte Hale
, it is often simply referred to as "Murphy Center". It has hosted the Ohio Valley Conference
men's basketball tournament three times: 1975, 1985 and 1987; and hosted the Sun Belt Conference
men's and women's basketball tournaments in 2006. Hale Arena is also home to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association's (TSSAA) boys and girls Division I state high school basketball and volleyball championships. MTSU's graduation ceremonies are held in the arena as well.
defeated the WKU Hilltoppers
73-59. Other sold out sporting events include the women's basketball team's game against the UT Lady Vols
. A crowd of 11,802 witnessed a close game but UT victory, 69-52.
Murphy Center is also famous for the creation of NCAA Indoor Last Chance Meets. In 1976, MTSU head coach track and field coach Dean Hayes got together with several other coaches looking for one final opportunity for their athletes to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships. The coaches held a meet at Murphy Center the week before the nationals, that would later go on to be known as NCAA Last Chance Meets.
Today, there are at least six Last Chance Meets around the nation including; Ames, Iowa (Iowa State), South Bend, Ind. (Notre Dame), Blacksburg, Va. (Virginia Tech), Lincoln, Neb. (Nebraska), Fayetteville, Ark. (Arkansas), and Gainesville, Fla. (Florida).
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
department building at Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University, commonly abbreviated as MTSU, is a public university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States....
in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The building was built in 1973 and named in honor of Charles M. "Bubber" Murphy, a standout athlete at the college in the 1930s and later the school's football coach from 1947 to 1967. The building houses most of the university's athletics offices, some classroom space, athletic practice facilities and weight rooms, racquetball
Racquetball
For other sports often called "paddleball", see Paddleball .Racquetball is a racquet sport played with a hollow rubber ball in an indoor or outdoor court...
courts and, most notably, the 11,802-seat multi-purpose Monte Hale Arena.
Hale Arena
Monte Hale Arena is home to the MTSU Blue Raiders basketballBasketball
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. Hale Arena features a bowl of permanent box seats around the basketball floor and eighteen sections of collapsible bleachers on the concourse above the bowl. While the arena was named in honor of local sportswriter Monte Hale
Monte Hale (broadcaster)
Monte Hale was a radio personality and owner of the WMTS-FM radio station located at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee...
, it is often simply referred to as "Murphy Center". It has hosted the Ohio Valley Conference
Ohio Valley Conference
The Ohio Valley Conference is a college athletic conference which operates in the midwestern and southeastern United States. It participates in Division I of the NCAA; the conference's football programs compete in the Football Championship Subdivision , the lower of two levels of Division I...
men's basketball tournament three times: 1975, 1985 and 1987; and hosted the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
men's and women's basketball tournaments in 2006. Hale Arena is also home to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association's (TSSAA) boys and girls Division I state high school basketball and volleyball championships. MTSU's graduation ceremonies are held in the arena as well.
History
The Murphy Center has hosted countless basketball games, and a few of those have been sold out. The largest crowd ever to witness a game on the hardwood of Monte Hale Arena was 11,807, when the Blue RaidersMiddle Tennessee Blue Raiders
The Blue Raiders are the men's and women's athletic teams at Middle Tennessee State University. MTSU athletic teams participate in NCAA Division I in the Sun Belt Conference...
defeated the WKU Hilltoppers
Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
The Western Kentucky Hilltoppers is the name for all of the men's intercollegiate athletic teams that play for Western Kentucky University. Women's teams are known as Lady Toppers...
73-59. Other sold out sporting events include the women's basketball team's game against the UT Lady Vols
Tennessee Volunteers
The Tennessee Volunteers and Lady Volunteers are the National Collegiate Athletic Association college sports teams at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Tennessee. Mike Hamilton is the most recent Men's Athletic Director, but resigned on June 7, 2011, and Joan Cronan is the current Women's...
. A crowd of 11,802 witnessed a close game but UT victory, 69-52.
Indoor Track and Field
The upper concourse of the arena also serves as an indoor track and field facility for the University's historically well-regarded athletics programs. Murphy Center has been home to 23 total Ohio Valley and Sun Belt Conference Indoor Championships. It is also scheduled to host the 2012 SBC Championship next February.Murphy Center is also famous for the creation of NCAA Indoor Last Chance Meets. In 1976, MTSU head coach track and field coach Dean Hayes got together with several other coaches looking for one final opportunity for their athletes to qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships. The coaches held a meet at Murphy Center the week before the nationals, that would later go on to be known as NCAA Last Chance Meets.
Today, there are at least six Last Chance Meets around the nation including; Ames, Iowa (Iowa State), South Bend, Ind. (Notre Dame), Blacksburg, Va. (Virginia Tech), Lincoln, Neb. (Nebraska), Fayetteville, Ark. (Arkansas), and Gainesville, Fla. (Florida).