Opened 2 December 1955 | Capacity 14,596 | |
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Former names Student Activities Building (1955–1956) Construction cost $3.3 million($29.5 million in 2017 ) Similar Xfinity Center College P, Maryland Stadium, Ritchie Coliseum, Ludwig Field, McKeldin Mall | ||
The new cole field house advancing the science of sport
The William P. Cole, Jr. Student Activities Building, commonly known as Cole Field House, is an indoor arena in the eastern United States, located on the campus of the University of Maryland in College Park, a suburb north of Washington, D.C.
Contents
- The new cole field house advancing the science of sport
- Map of Cole Student Activities Bldg 4095 Union Ln College Park MD 20742 USA
- Maryland s cole field house renovation
- History
- Replacement
- Former use
- Renovation
- Other notable events
- References
Map of Cole Student Activities Bldg, 4095 Union Ln, College Park, MD 20742, USA
Opened in late 1955, it was the home of the Maryland Terrapins basketball teams for 47 seasons; it was succeeded by Xfinity Center (originally "Comcast Center") in the fall of 2002. Cole is situated in the heart of the campus, adjacent to Stamp Student Union and near McKeldin Library.
Cole Field House still holds the distinction of being the site of the most upsets of No. 1-ranked teams in men's basketball. In 2002, Maryland defeated Duke, the seventh and final top-ranked foe to lose at the arena.
Maryland s cole field house renovation
History
The building was constructed 62 years ago in 1955 as the "Student Activities Building" at a cost of $3.3 million. Although its original capacity was 12,000, additional seats were installed throughout the years to bring the final capacity to 14,596 (in 1993). The first basketball game was played on December 2, 1955, when Maryland beat Virginia 67–55.
The first coach at the venue, Bud Millikan, did not like its size, saying at one point "It's like playing on a neutral court" with seats too far from the courts. In the late 1960s Lefty Driesell added nearly 3,000 seats around the court raising the hometown decibel level.
The center was renamed the William P. Cole, Jr. Student Activities Building in 1956 after Judge William P. Cole, Jr., who was chairman of the university's Board of Regents from 1944 to 1956.
Cole Field House held its first NCAA Basketball Tournament East Region finals in 1962, when New York University defeated St. John's in the regional final, 94–85. The NCAA Tournament Final Four was first held here in 1966 between Duke, Kentucky, Texas Western (now Texas-El Paso), and Utah. Texas Western (which started all black players) upset Kentucky's all-white team 72–65 before 14,253. Future Maryland men's basketball coach Gary Williams, then a student, attended the game. Cole also hosted the NCAA Tournament Final Four in 1970.
Cole hosted the Division I men's basketball ECAC South-Upstate Region Tournament, organized by the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC), in 1979.
In 1991, Cole was the site of the first-ever upset of an NCAA Tournament No. 2-seed at the hands of a No. 15-seed, as Richmond defeated heavily favored Syracuse, 73-69.
As of 2014, Cole Field House still holds the distinction of being the site of the most upsets of No. 1-ranked men's basketball teams. The Terrapins accounted for six of the upsets at Cole, while the other one occurred in the 1966 Final Four where No. 3 Texas Western defeated No. 1 Kentucky. The seventh such occurrence was on February 27, 2002, when Maryland defeated No. 1 Duke. The venues which hosted the second- and third-most No. 1 upsets are Notre Dame's Joyce Athletics & Convention Center (six) and Oklahoma's Lloyd Noble Center (five), respectively.
The Maryland Maniacs indoor football team used Cole Field House as its home venue in 2010.
Replacement
In the 1990s, the administration at Maryland followed a trend occurring at other schools in the ACC to seek a new facility that provided more seating and amenities than were present at Cole Field House. However, this decision brought some debate. Coach Gary Williams privately wished the team remain at Cole due to the home court advantage he received. The small, cramped arena made Cole Field House a loud and difficult place for opponents to play in.
The last Maryland men's basketball game played at Cole Field House was on March 3, 2002, when Maryland defeated Virginia 112–92. The team now plays at the XFINITY Center. Overall, 13 men's All-Americans and 4 women's All-Americans have played at Cole. Maryland men's basketball remained undefeated at Cole during its last season and went on to win the National Championship.
Former use
After its basketball teams vacated Cole Field House, the facility was used by the university in athletic and non-athletic ways. A soccer field constructed atop the basketball court was used as a practice facility by some athletes. The concourse also served as a makeshift track for students, faculty, and other members of the University community. When not used for athletics, the building was used for Homecoming events and classes, and held offices.
Because of the grand space enclosed by the structure and its location in the middle of campus, the structure had been the subject of speculation for renewal and multiple reuses. One such plan was to build a station for the future Purple Line of the Maryland Transit Administration.
On September 24, 2013, the Maryland Athletic Department announced that the Terrapin men's and women's basketball teams would hold their Maryland Madness event on October 18 at Cole Field House. It marked the first official athletic event hosted in the faculty since the Terps' new arena opened in 2002.
Renovation
In November 2014, the University of Maryland announced a multi-phase project to renovate and expand Cole Field House. The renovations will include the Terrapin Performance Center, which will serve as the operations headquarters and indoor practice facility for the Maryland Terrapins football team. The Terrapin Performance Center will include an indoor regulation practice field, strength and training facility, locker rooms, meeting rooms, and offices for the coaching staff.
In addition to football facilities, Cole Field House will be the home for Maryland's Center for Sports Medicine and Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. The $155 million project will be funded by Big Ten conference revenues, the State of Maryland, rental income, and private donations, including a $25 million gift from Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank. Construction is expected to begin in December 2015, complete Phase I in 2017, and complete Phase II in 2018.