Welsh-Ryan Arena
Encyclopedia
Welsh-Ryan Arena is an 8,117-seat multi-purpose arena
in Evanston, Illinois
. The arena opened in 1952 as McGaw Memorial Hall. It is home to the Northwestern University
Wildcats
basketball
, volleyball
and wrestling
teams. It is located to the north of Ryan Field on the athletic campus, and also contains the stadium's field house. The arena hosted the NCAA
Final Four
in 1956. Patten Gymnasium
, formerly located on the main campus at Northwestern, hosted the first NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 1939 and was later torn down in order to build the Technological Institute
in its place, which was completed in 1942. A smaller Patten Gymnasium was built to the north of the original site, which still stands and is mostly used for student recreation, intramural sports, and club sports.
McGaw Memorial Hall was named in memory of the Rev Francis McGaw, a Presbyterian minister whose son, Foster McGaw donated the necessary funds. The arena itself was renamed following the 1982-83 renovations in honor of the principal donor, Patrick G. Ryan, president of the board of trustees, and his wife's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Welsh, Sr.
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 Evanston, Illinois
Evanston, Illinois
Evanston is a suburban municipality in Cook County, Illinois 12 miles north of downtown Chicago, bordering Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, and Wilmette to the north, with an estimated population of 74,360 as of 2003. It is one of the North Shore communities that adjoin Lake Michigan...
. The arena opened in 1952 as McGaw Memorial Hall. It is home to the Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
Wildcats
Northwestern Wildcats
The Northwestern Wildcats are the athletic teams that represent Northwestern University, a founding member of the Big Ten Conference and the only private university in the conference. Northwestern has eight men's and eleven women's Division I sports teams. The mascot is Willie the Wildcat...
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...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
and wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
teams. It is located to the north of Ryan Field on the athletic campus, and also contains the stadium's field house. The arena hosted the NCAA
1956 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
-Midwest Region:-West Region:-Far West Region:-Final Four:-Notes:* Canisius's first-round victory over the second-ranked North Carolina State Wolfpack, considered by many to be among the top ten upsets in tournament history, set a record for most overtime periods in a Division I Men's tournament...
Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
in 1956. Patten Gymnasium
Patten Gymnasium
Patten Gymnasium is a multi-purpose gymnasium in Evanston, Illinois. The original building, designed by George Washington Maher, opened in 1910 and was home to the Northwestern University Wildcats Basketball Team until 1940, when it was demolished and rebuilt farther north to make room for the...
, formerly located on the main campus at Northwestern, hosted the first NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 1939 and was later torn down in order to build the Technological Institute
Technological Institute
The Technological Institute, more commonly known as "Tech", is a landmark building at Northwestern University built from 1940 to 1942.It is the main building for students and faculty in the Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. The school of engineering itself was called...
in its place, which was completed in 1942. A smaller Patten Gymnasium was built to the north of the original site, which still stands and is mostly used for student recreation, intramural sports, and club sports.
McGaw Memorial Hall was named in memory of the Rev Francis McGaw, a Presbyterian minister whose son, Foster McGaw donated the necessary funds. The arena itself was renamed following the 1982-83 renovations in honor of the principal donor, Patrick G. Ryan, president of the board of trustees, and his wife's parents, Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Welsh, Sr.