Alumni Hall (Fairfield University)
Coordinates: 41°09′35″N 73°15′24″W / 41.159854°N 73.256646°W
| Location |
Fairfield University Fairfield, Connecticut |
|---|---|
| Owner | Fairfield University |
| Capacity | 2,479 |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 1958 |
| Opened | 1959 |
| Tenants | |
|
Fairfield Stags (1959–present) Fairfield Prep Jesuits (1959–present) | |
Alumni Hall is a 2,479 seat multi-purpose arena on the campus of Fairfield University located in Fairfield, Connecticut. The facility opened on December 5, 1959 and is one of the earliest prestressed concrete structures of its kind ever attempted. Engineering magazines from the time noted that the eleven 160-foot pre-cast arches used in the building’s construction were a record-breaking span for pre-cast arch ribs used in the United States.[1]
Sports arena
Alumni Hall was home to the Fairfield Stags men's and women's basketball teams until 2002, when the teams began playing home games at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Alumni Hall is now home to the Fairfield Stags women's volleyball team and the Fairfield Prep Jesuits basketball teams.
Well known for its raucous atmosphere created by "The Red Sea" of red-clad students sitting in bleachers rising to the rafters, Sports Illustrated once reported that it hosted the most vocal and loyal basketball fans in the Northeast.[2] With Stags fans nostalgic for the on-campus experience and the glory days of The Red Sea, Alumni Hall hosted two men's and women's basketball games during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons.
On November 6, 2015, Fairfield dedicated the George R. Bisacca Court in honor of the Stags' legendary head men's basketball coach and the University's former director of athletics.
Memorable moments
- On January 21, 1978, in front of 3,000 raucous fans at an overcapacity Alumni Hall, the Fairfield Stags men's basketball team stunned the No. 14 nationally ranked and All-American Ronnie Perry led Holy Cross Crusaders with a 123-103 victory. Led by Stag All-American Joe DeSantis '79 and All-East Mark Young '79, the team's offensive production still ranks all-time as the most points scored in a game by a Fairfield team.
- On February 20, 1974, local Bridgeport, Connecticut high school basketball legend and future All American and NBA player Walter Luckett returned home with his No. 16 nationally ranked Ohio Bobcats team to play before his hometown fans at Alumni Hall against the Fairfield Stags. Just the year before Luckett was the nation’s top recruit and donned the front cover of the 1972 Sports Illustrated College Basketball Season Preview edition. While the hometown fans were welcoming, the Red Sea and the Stags were not. Using a variety of inside moves Ray Kelly ‘75 outplayed Luckett and led the Stags to a 91-80 victory quieting the Luckett contingency and leaving the Red Sea to revel in the high profile victory.
Event center
Alumni Hall has been host to many special political and musical events and annually hosts the Fairfield University Baccalaureate Mass and the Fairfield Prep Commencement Ceremony.
- During the 1988 United States presidential election, then Vice President George H. Bush visited Fairfield University and delivered a speech in Alumni Hall attacking the tax-and-budget policies of then Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis days before being elected the 41st President of the United States.
- The Fairfield University Students Association ("FUSA") annually hosts both a Fall and Spring Concert at Alumni Hall typically bringing well-known musical acts to campus. Notable performances include the Beach Boys in 1967, The Byrds in 1973, O.A.R. in 2006, Ludacris in Spring 2008, and John Legend performed in December 2008. FUSA announced in December 2009 that the Spring 2010 concert would feature Sean Kingston and Eve 6 with a special surprise third guest to be announced shortly.
References
- ↑ "The Rapid Growth of Fairfield University". Faculty.fairfield.edu. Retrieved 2010-09-07.
- ↑ "Fairfield University Athletics". Fairfieldstags.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-10. Retrieved 2010-09-07.